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THE  LIBRARY 

of 

VICTORIA  UNIVl-RSITY 

Toronto 


^     TECUMSEH      "'^ 

CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES 


A  TALE  OF  THE  WAR  OF  1812 

BY 
COLONEL  H.  R.  GORDON 

Author  of  "  Pontiac,  Chief  of  the  Ottawas,"  etc. 


IJI^vv 


IECUM8EH    AND    TM(    BOYS.       PAOe  49 

NEW   YORK 

COI'YKMCirr    MY 

B.  p.  DUTTON  &  COMPANY 
31  west  twenty-third  street 
i8q8 


lAACLtAM 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER 

I.    TWO  YOUNG  PIONEERS    . 

II.    A  CHANGE  OF  SITUATION 

III.  A  FRIEND  AT  COURT 

IV.  TWO  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES 
V.    THE  WORK  OF  A  GENIUS 

VI.  THE  HOME  IN  THE  FOREST 

VII.  STIRRING  WORK      . 

VIII.  IN  THE  SUMMER  OF  1813 

IX.  TWO  YOUNG  SCOUTS 

X.  WITH  A  STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM 

XI.  HE-TKAT-SEES-WITH-ONE-EYE 

XII.  THROUGH  MANY  PERILS 

XIII.  AT  THE  LAKE 

XIV.  SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT 
XV.  AT  BAY 

XVI.    THROUGH  ON  TIME 
XVII.    BRILLIANT  WORK    . 
XVIII.    A  STINGING  REBUKE 
XIX.    THE  TURNING  OF  THE  TIDE 
XX.    BETWEEN  THE  LINES 

XXI.  "good-bye!" 

XXII.    THE  TALISMAN 

iii 


PAGB 
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125 

140 

155 
170 

185 

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845 
360 

375 
990 
301 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


TECUMSEH  AND  COL.  JOHNSON.     (Frontispiece) 

TECUMSEH  AND  THK  BOYS.     (  Title  Page  J 

CROSSING  THE    OHlO 

GENERAL   HARRISON    AND  TECUMSEH 

ATTACK   ON   THE  CABIN    . 

BEN  AND   THE-  BEAR 

HARUIN,  BEN, AND  THE  CANOE 

ATTACK  ON  FbRT  STEPHENSON 

LIEUTENANT  BROWN  AND  THE  SCOUTS 

KENTON  AND  TECUMSEH  . 

THE  CAVALRY  COVING   . 


PAGB 

3" 

45 

8 

52 
86 

M5 
184 
238 
250 
290 
3o<; 


•i"^' 


TECUMSEH, 

CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 


CHAPTER  I. 

TWO   YOUNG  PIONEERS. 

ONE  balmy  autumn  morning,  during  the  early 
days  of  Ohio  and  Kentucky,  George  Hatdin, 
a  sturdy  youth,  whose  home  lay  a  dozen  miles  to 
the  north,  came  down  to  the  Ohio  River  and  looked 
keenly  across  to  the  opposite  shore,  as  if  he  ex- 
pected the  appearance  of  some  one. 

Young  Hardin  was  dressed  in  the  usual  fashion  of 
the  frontier  at  that  time,  his  costume  consisting  of 
leggings,  leathern  breeches,  hunting  shirt,  and  coon- 
skin  cap.  Instead  of  the  moccasins  often  worn,  he 
used  coarse,  strong  shoes,  and  carried  in  his  hand  a 
long,  heavy  flint-lock  rifle,  for,  as  you  know,  percus- 
sion caps  and  breech-loaders  were  not  dreamed  of  in 
those  days.  Indeed,  as  late  as  the  Mexican  war, 
many  of  our  soldiers  were  armed  with  flint-lock 
muskets.     A   powder-horn   was   slung  by  a  string 


2  TECUM SEir,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

over  one  shoulder,  and  the  supply  of  bullets  was 
carried  in  a  leathern  pouch. 

George  Hardin  was  a  fine  specimen  of  the  rugged, 
alert  youth  of  the  days  of  our  grandparents.  His 
father  was  a  famous  pioneer,  and  had  trained  the 
youth  in  woodc-aft  from  the  time  he  was  able  to 
rest  his  ponderous  gun  on  a  log  or  in  the  crotch  of 
a  tree  and  aim  at  a  wild  turkey,  buffalo,  deer,  or 
bear.  At  the  age  of  sixteen,  when  we  introduce 
him  to  the  reader,  he  was  allowed  to  wander  at  will 
through  the  trackless  forests,  sometimes  being  ab- 
sent for  three  or  four  days  without  causing  alarm  to 
his  parents. 

Yet  it  may  be  said  that  danger  always  hung 
over  the  head  of  the  hunter  or  settler,  for  the  In- 
dians were  sleepless  in  their  watchfulness.  The 
blazing  cabin,  the  sharp  explosion  of  the  rifle,  the 
war-whoop  of  the  red  man,  and  the  whizz  of  the 
deadly  tomahawk  were  the  most  common  sounds 
that  broke  the  solemn  stillness  of  the  vast  wilderness. 

On  this  beautiful  morning  young  Hardin  parted 
the  bushes  in  front  and  on  the  margin  of  the  broad, 
placid  stream  with  as  much  care  as  if  he  expected 
to  see  a  band  of  Shawanoes,  Wyandots,  or  Dela- 
wares;  but  such  was  always  his  habit,  for  the  first 
lesson  taught  to  him  by  his  father  was  that  never, 
when  in  the  woods,  must  he  lay  aside  his  caution, 
even  for  a  single  minute. 


7'PVO  YOUNG  PIONEERS.  3 

It  seemed  a  long  time  that  the  lad  spent  in  scru- 
tinizing the  farther  bank,  but  his  manner  showed 
that  he  failed  to  discern  that  for  which  he  was  look- 
ing. His  clear  hazel  eyes  roamed  along  the  over- 
hanging bushes  and  as  far  up  and  down  stream  as 
his  vision  could  reach,  but  no  sign  of  living  creature 
met  his  gaze.  It  was  as  if  he  were  the  only  person 
within  the  depth  of  the  vast  solitude. 

"  Ben  's  late,"  he  said  to  himself;  "  for  I  know 
I  'm  not  ahead  of  time,  and  I  expected  to  find  him 
here." 

Puckering  his  lips,  he  emitted  a  sound  like  the 
call  of  a  wild  turkey.  It  was  faint,  but  so  clear  that 
it  easily  penetrated  the  forest  arches  on  the  other 
shore,  and  would  have  deceived  any  bird  that 
chanced  to  hear  it.  Having  uttered  the  signal,  he 
stood  in  his  pose  of  intense  attention,  listening  for 
the  reply.  For  a  half-minute  the  stillness  was  un- 
broken, and  then  a  sound  so  similar  to  his  own  that 
it  might  have  been  mistaken  for  its  echo  seemed  to 
flutter  from  among  the  trees  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Beautiful  River  and  steal  across  to  where  he 
stood.  The  tanned  but  handsome  countenance 
glowed  with  pleasure,  and,  hesitating  no  longer, 
young  Hardin  stepped  forward  so  as  to  be  free  of 
and  beyond  the  overhanging  vegetation,  with  his 
one  foot  on  the  edge  of  the  water. 

And  the  person  on  the  Kentucky  shore  did  pre- 


4         TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  IVANOES. 

cisely  the  same.  He  was  a  lad  of  about  the  same 
age  as  Hardin,  and  standing  thus  in  full  view  of 
each  other,  they  waved  each  a  hand  in  greeting. 
Then  Hardin  took  off  his  heavy  cap  and  circled  it 
once  about  his  head.  The  other  imitated  him,  and 
thus  a  full  understanding  was  established  between 
them. 

But  the  similarity  of  action  now  ceased.  Hardin 
held  his  expectant  pose,  and  evidently  was  awaiting 
sonie  movement  on  the  part  of  his  friend,  who  did 
not  keep  him  waiting.  Stepping  back  so  as  to  per- 
mit the  vegetation  to  close  like  a  curtain  before  him, 
he  was  absent  from  sight  for  only  a  few  moments, 
when  a  small  canoe  shot  out  from  the  undergrowth, 
and  guided  by  the  single  occupant,  with  his  long 
paddle,  skimmed  swiftly  to  the  point  where  Hardin 
awaited  his  coming. 

As  straight  as  an  arrow  the  birchen  craft  sped 
across  the  river,  touching  the  grassy  bank  at  the 
feet  of  Hardin,  who  carefully  seated  himself  in  the 
little  boat,  which  was  turned  so  as  to  face  the  other 
way,  though  there  was  scarcely  a  perceptible  differ- 
ence between  the  bow  and  stern. 

The  newcomer  was  Ben  Mayberry,  a  youth  of 
about  the  same  age  as  Hardin,  and  his  costume  and 
weapons  were  similar.  His  home  was  to  the  south, 
and  this  morning  had  been  fixed  upon  fully  three 
weeks  before  for  a  meeting  between  them  at  the 


TPVO   YOUNG  PIONEERS.  5 

point  where  they  now  saw  each  other.  The  plan 
was  carried  out  so  well  that  the  youths,  coming 
from  cabins  separated  by  many  miles,  reached  oppo- 
site banks  of  the  Ohio  within  the  same  ten  minutes. 

"  George,"  said  the  Kentuckian,  suddenly  ceas- 
ing his  paddling,  "  I  'm  afraid  we  're  going  to  have 
trouble." 

"  How  ? "  asked  the  other,  showing  no  surprise  or 
alarm. 

"  The  Shawanoes  are  on  the  war-path." 

■'  When  are  they  not  on  the  war-path  ? "  was  the 
reply  or  rather  question  of  Hardin. 

Not  often — that  *s  a  fact;  but  they  're  between 
us  and  my  home." 

Hardin  became  more  interested. 

"  Then  we  must  contrive  to  slip  past  them,  or, 
why  not  turn  about  and  go  home  with  me  ?  " 

The  young  Kentuckian  shook  his  head. 

"  Our  agreement  was  that  we  should  meet  here, 
just  as  we  have  done,  and  you  were  to  go  home  with 
me  for  a  visit.  If  you  're  afraid,  I  '11  put  you 
ashore,  and  let  you  hurry  back  to  your  folks." 

This  remark  might  have  caused  offence,  but  for 
the  imile  that  accompanied  it.  While  the  lads  often 
jested  v/ith  each  other,  neither  could  be  induced  to 
utter  a  word  that  might  rankle  the  feelings  of  his 
friend.  Young  Hardin  looked  calmly  into  the  face 
of  Mayberry  and  leplied  : 


6         TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

"  When  I  want  you  to  put  me  on  the  Ohio  shore, 
I  '11  let  you  know." 

"  All  right;  I  'm  at  your  service,  but  it  is  well 
that  you  should  understand  how  things  are." 

"  Did  you  see  anything  of  the  Shawanoes  on  your 
way  here  ? ' ' 

"  I  passed  close  to  one  of  their  carnp-fires — so 
close  that  I  heard  the  shouts  which  they  make  when 
getting  ready  to  go  on  the  war-path." 

"  Why  did  n't  you  steal  up  near  enough  to  get  a 
sight  at  them  ?  " 

"  I  did." 

"  What  did  you  see  ?  " 

"  I  saw  them  throwing  their  tomahawks  at  marks 
on  the  trees,  whooping,  dancing  their  war-dances, 
and  warming  themselves  up  for  the  work  they  love 
so  well." 

"  Does  your  father  know  anything  about  this  ?  " 

"  It  was  he  who  warned  me;  a  runner  came  to 
him  from  the  blockhouse,  and  advised  him  to  bring 
mother  and  Molly  and  me  to  the  post.  When 
father  got  ready  to  do  so,  I  reminded  him  of  my 
engagement  with  you." 

"  What  did  he  say  to  that  ?  " 

"  Mother  looked  sad,  and  little  Molly  coaxed  me 
to  go  with  them,  but  father  said  that  since  I  had 
gi\  en  my  word  and  you  would  be  disappointed,  I 
must  keep  my  promise." 


TWO   YOUNG  PIONEERS.  J 

"  Just  like  him  !  "  exclaimed  Hardin,  admiringly; 
"  he  's  a  true  Kentuckian." 

"  Your  father  would  have  said  the  same  to  you." 

"  I  guess  he  would;  surely  we  're  big  enough  to 
take  care  of  ourselves." 

This  conversation  had  occupied  but  a  brief  while, 
and,  since  it  had  established  a  full  understanding, 
voung  Mayberry  now  resumed  the  swaying  of  his 
paddle,  and  the  light  canoe  sped  across  the  stream 
like  a  swallow,  but  in  everything  he  did  the  youth- 
ful Kentuckian  showed  his  training  in  woodcraft. 
When  two  thirds  of  the  way  over,  and  while  heading 
for  the  precise  spot  which  he  had  left  to  meet  his 
friend,  he  turned  the  craft  down  stream,  and  putting 
his  utmost  strength  in  the  effort  drove  it  like  an 
arrow  toward  a  point  fully  a  fourth  of  a  mile  below. 
He  paddled  as  if  his  life  were  at  stake,  and  there 
can  be  no  certainty  that  such  was  not  the  fact. 

The  meaning  of  what  might  seem  singular  was 
that  Mayberry  feared  that  one  or  more  Indians  had 
followed  his  trail  to  the  Ohio,  and  were  awaiting  the 
return  of  himself  with  his  companion.  His  first 
course  indicated  a  direct  coming  back  until  most  of 
the  stream  was  crossed,  when  he  made  the  abrupt 
change  of  direction,  travelling  with  a  speed  and  an 
uncertainty  of  where  he  meant  to  land  that  pre- 
vented any  foes  being  on  the  immediate  spot  to 
receive  them. 


8  TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

Hardin  understood  this  so  clearly  that  he  asked 
no  questions,  but  his  gaze  was  fixed  upon  the  Ken- 
tucky shore,  roaming  back  and  forth  in  search  of 
the  "  sign  "  that  might  appear  at  any  moment  and 
could  only  mean  grave  danger.  Neither  of  the  lads 
saw  anything  unusual,  and  Mayberry  ran  the  boat 
under  the  exuberant  limbs  and  so  plumply  against 
the  bank  that  the  two  tipped  forward  from  the  sud- 
denness of  the  stop. 

The  moment  the  prow  of  the  canoe  touched  land, 
the  two  sprang  out  and  pulled  it  so  far  up  the  bank 
that  it  could  not  be  observed  by  any  one  passing 
along  the  river,  nor  would  it  be  swept  away  by  the 
current  itself. 

The  Kentuckian  took  the  lead,  the  other  following 
closely  behind  in  what  may  be  termed  "  Indian 
file,"  where  all  of  a  party  tread  in  the  same  tracks. 
They  had  much  to  say  to  each  other,  for  they  were 
lifelong  friends  and  had  been  separated  for  weeks, 
but  they  hardly  spoke  except  at  long  intervals,  and 
then  in  guarded  undertones. 

Now,  it  must  not  be  taken  for  granted  that  be- 
cause the  youths  failed  to  see  anything  of  their 
enemies,  while  crossing  the  Ohio,  that  none  of  their 
dusky  foes  saw  them.  Doubtless  the  precaution  of 
the  couple  saved  them  for  the  time,  for  it  is  a  fact 
that  Ben  Mayberry's  trail  had  been  discovered  by 
five  Shawanoes,  prowling  through  the  woods,  and 


CROSSING   THE   OHIO. 


Page  8. 


TWO  YOUNG  PIONEERS.  9 

they  followed  it  with  such  skill  and  expedition  that 
they  arrived  at  the  river's  edge  only  a  brief  while 
behind  him.  Had  he  not  resorted  to  the  canoe 
which  belonged  to  himself,  and  had  been  left  there 
for  use,  they  would  have  been  upon  him  before  he 
could  have  taken  his  friend  on  board. 

Discovering  the  youths,  the  warriors  carefully  hid 
themselves  among  the  undergrowth  and  awaited 
their  return.  Had  the  Kentuckian  carried  out 
what  seemed  to  be  his  plan,  the  two  would  have 
entered  the  trap  inextricably,  but  by  an  artifice  that 
was  as  simple  as  ingenious  they  escaped  the  peril 
for  the  time.  When  the  Shawanoes  reached  the 
spot  where  the  boys  had  landed,  they  were  gone. 

But  of  necessity  they  left  two  things  behind 
them.  One  was  the  canoe  that  had  served  the 
young  Kentuckian  so  often  and  so  well.  With  the 
help  of  their  knives  and  tomahawks  it  took  but  a 
few  minutes  to  cut  and  slash  it  beyond  the  possibil- 
ity of  ever  being  of  account  again.  Indeed  the 
birchen  fragments  hardly  suggested  the  pretty  frail 
structure  that  had  once  served  the  owner  so  well. 

The  other  thing  left  by  the  youths  was  their  trail. 
No  matter  how  extreme  their  care,  they  could  not 
hide  the  faint  footprints  from  the  keen  eyes  of  the 
Shawanoes,  whose  skill  in  tracking  an  enemy  was  so 
wonderful  that  Simon  Kenton  once  declared  that 
they  could  trail  a  bird  through  the  air,  or  a  swimmer 


10       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

in  the  water.  While  the  ordinary,  untrained  gaze 
would  have  detected  nothing  unusual,  that  quintette 
of  warriors,  in  their  hideous  paint  and  athirst  for 
the  lives  of  the  pale  faces,  saw  the  footprints  as  un- 
mistakably as  we  should  have  observed  them  in  the 
dusty  highway. 

The  action  of  the  Shawanoes  may  be  considered 
peculiar  from  the  moment  they  left  the  river.  In- 
stead of  following  the  trail  in  Indian  file,  one  of 
their  number  devoted  his  attention  to  keeping  track 
of  their  victims,  while  the  others  scattered  to  the 
right  and  left.  By  doing  this,  the  party  covered  an 
extent  of  more  than  a  hundred  yards.  They  kept 
substantially  abreast  of  one  another,  watching  the 
guide,  so  that  when  he  deviated  to  the  right  and 
left,  they  did  the  same,  and  the  relative  distances 
between  them  were  preserved. 

It  was  now  nearly  noon,  and  though  the  sun  was 
unusually  strong  for  the  season,  its  rays  scarcely 
penetrated  the  twilight  of  the  woods,  where  it  was 
cool  and  comfortable.  Since  the  trailers  knew  that 
the  young  men  would  not  linger  in  their  flight,  it 
was  necessary  for  their  pursuers  to  move  briskly  to 
overtake  the^i.  At  the  same  time,  they  had  seen 
enough  to  understand  that  the  two  were  no  ama- 
teurs in  woodcraft,  and  that  a  slight  inadvertence  or 
carelessness  on  their  part  would  warn  the  two  of 
their  danger  and  make  their  capture  more  difficult. 


TPVO  YOUJVG  PIONEERS.  II 

It  would  not  have  been  difficult  for  these  five 
Indians  to  shoot  the  youths  while  in  their  canoe, 
for  at  one  time  less  than  half  the  width  of  the  Ohio 
separated  them,  and  the  shot  ^Vas  easy,  but  they 
refrained,  as  almost  any  of  their  race  will  do  when 
he  looks  upon  the  capture  of  his  enemy  as  among 
the  certainties.  The  instant  death  of  a  foe  may  be 
desirable,  but,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  the 
pleasure  of  torturing  him  is  too  tempting  to  be 
neglected.  They  looked  upon  the  capture  of  the 
couple  as  inevitable,  and  therefore  awaited  the  time 
when  they  should  be  fully  in  their  power  before 
wreaking  t'neir  hatred  upon  them. 

The  five  Shawanoes  had  not  penetrated  far  into 
the  Kentucky  wilderness,  when  the  middle  man, 
who  was  devoting  his  attention  to  trailing  the  lads, 
made  an  oblique  change  in  his  course.  Instead  of 
going  directly  ahead,  he  turned  to  the  right.  This 
indicated  that  the  youths,  for  some  cause,  had  de- 
viated from  the  straight  line  they  had  been  follow- 
ing. The  matter  was  of  no  importance,  and  the 
pursuers  imitated  them,  with  hardly  a  slackening  of 
their  pace. 

The  ground,  which  had  been  comparatively  level, 
grew  more  undulating.  There  was  nothing  in  the 
nature  of  mountains,  nor  was  the  surface  sufficiently 
rough  to  cause  any  inconvenience  or  delay  their 
advance,    but   they  must   have  viewed  with  grim 


12       TECUM  SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAW  A  NOES. 

pleasure  the  fact  that  the  line  of  flight  by  the  fugi- 
tives, as  they  may  be  considered,  led  directly  toward 
the  clearing  where  more  than  three  hundred  Sha- 
wanoes  were  gathered  preparatory  to  joining  larger 
bodies  of  their  own  countrymen  and  warriors  of 
other  tribes,  preliminary  to  making  their  raid  upon 
the  exposed  settlements  along  the  frontier. 

The  pursuers  had  penetrated  to  a  distance  of  a  half- 
mile  from  the  river,  when  they  descended  a  slight 
declivity,  where  the  wood  was  comparatively  free 
from  undergrowth,  and  the  guide  was  seen  to  stop 
suddenly,  as  if  he  had  made  a  discovery.  Although 
the  forest  was  free  from  anything  resembling  a  path- 
way, and  showed  no  signs  of  having  been  recently 
passed  through  by  any  one  except  the  two  youths, 
it  was  familiar  to  all  of  the  Shawanoes.  The  four 
instantly  recognized  the  spot  where  their  companion 
had  halted  as  a  clear,  cool  spring  of  water.  They 
also  ceased  walking,  and  waited  for  him  to  resume 
his  advance  before  doing  the  same. 

Instead  of  leaving  the  spot,  the  redskin  looked 
up,  and,  glancing  from  right  to  left,  beckoned  them 
to  approach.  He  made  no  sound,  nor  did  they,  as 
they  obeyed,  the  five  coming  together  within  the 
following  minute.  In  answer  to  their  looks  of  in- 
quiry, he  pointed  down  at  the  spring.  It  was  no 
more  than  two  or  three  feet  in  diameter,  with  the 
water  as  clear  as  crystal.     In  truth,  some  of  the 


TWO  YOUNG  PIONEERS.  13 

poetical  Shawanoes  had  given  it  the  Indian  name  of 
"A-wa-wa,"  signifying  "  liquid  summer  air,"  a  title 
that  it  well  deserved. 

A  single  glance  revealed  that  the  boys  had  stopped 
there  to  quench  their  thirst,  the  imprints  of  their 
hands  and  knees,  as  well  as  of  t^eir  feet,  showing 
where  they  had  kneeled  down  to  quaff  the  refresh- 
ing  water.  This,  however,  was  so  natural  and  what 
was  to  be  expected  that  the  four  who  had  been 
called  to  the  spot  might  have  complained  had  not 
their  keen  vision  answered  the  question  in  their 
minds.  Upon  rising,  the  youths  had  not  continued 
their  walk  in  company.  Instead,  they  separated, 
one  going  to  the  right  and  the  other  to  the  left. 
It  was  evident  that  the  Shawanoes  failed  to  under- 
stand the  meaning  of  this  change  from  their  Indian 
file,  and  they  held  a  brief  consultation  over  the  dis- 
covery. 

Another  fact  impressed  itself  upon  them :  the 
spring  was  near  the  large,  natural  clearing  where 
the  Shawanoes  were  gathered  and  engaged  in  their 
athletic  exercises  preliminary  to  taking  the  war- 
path. In  the  stillness  of  the  woods,  sounds  reached 
the  warriors  which  they  readily  recognized  as  coming 
from  their  friends. 

One  of  the  youths  had  takers  a  route  that  led  him 
toward  the  Shawanoe  encampment,  while  the  other 
had  borne  to   the   left.     Had   they   diverged   but 


14       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

slightly,  still  maintaining  the  same  general  course, 
the  Indians  would  have  concluded  that  the  two  had 
set  out  to  gain  a  view  of  the  stirring  sight  near 
them,  for  they  must  have  heard  some  of  the  shout- 
ing and  cries  of  the  excited  warriors. 

The  conclusion  reached  by  the  red  men  perhaps 
was  natural,  being  that  the  youths  had  had  a  quar- 
rel and  separated  in  anger.  They  would  not  be  the 
first  white  persons  to  do  a  thing  like  that,  and  the 
red  men  had  had  experience  themselves  of  the  same 
nature. 

It  took  but  a  brief  while  to  formulate  this  theory, 
when  the  members  of  the  little  party  considered  the 
best  course  to  take  in  view  of  the  changed  con- 
ditions. The  decision  in  this  case  was  reached  as 
speedily  as  in  the  other.  Two  of  the  warriors  were 
to  follow  the  lad  that  had  turned  to  the  right,  while 
three  trailed  the  other.  This  would  guarantee  the 
capture  of  both,  who  had  not  yet  had  time  to  diverge 
very  far.  In  truth,  it  looked  as  if  the  young  man 
who  had  gone  to  the  right  was  lurking  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  the  Shawanoe  encampment,  and  it  was 
the  easiest  thing  conceivable  to  effect  his  capture. 
As  for  the  other,  it  might  require  a  few  minutes 
longer,  but  he  was  doomed. 

From  the  halting  until  the  resumption  of  the  pur- 
suit could  not  have  been  more  than  five  minutes — 
certainly  not  sufficient  to  produce  any  effect  upon 


TPVO    YOUNG  PIONEERS.  1$ 

this  rather  singular  flight  and  pursuit.  Since  the 
paths  diverged  so  abruptly,  the  two  divisions  of  the 
Shawanoes  quickly  passed  from  sight  of  each  other, 
though,  because  of  the  absence  of  undergrowth, 
they  had  only  to  look  around,  even  when  at  a  con- 
siderable distance,  to  see  one  another's  figures  flit- 
ting among  the  trees. 

And  yet  hardly  had  they  vanished  from  mutual 
view  when  a  guarded  signal  from  the  smaller  com- 
pany conveyed  the  news  to  the  larger  that  an 
important  discovery  had  been  made, — a  discovery 
which  instantly  checked  the  three,  and  the  next 
minute  caused  them  to  hurry  away  to  rejoin  their 
companions. 


CHAPTER   II. 

A  CHANGE  OF  SITUATION. 

MEANWHILE,  George  Hardin  and  Ben  May- 
berry  were  threading  their  way  through  the 
Kentucky  forest,  watchful,  alert,  and  on  their  guard 
against  the  sinister  red  men,  who,  the  youths  did  not 
need  to  be  told,  would  show  them  scant  mercy, 
should  they  fall  into  their  power.  The  Kentuckian 
was  in  advance,  his  friend  keeping  only  a  few  paces 
behind  him,  as  they  steadily  penetrated  deeper  into 
the  wilderness,  on  the  road  to  the  home  of  the 
young  man,  whose  intention  it  was  to  visit  the  de- 
serted dwelling,  after  which  they  would  follow  his 
parents  to  the  friendly  blockhouse. 

Suddenly  the  guide  stopped,  or  rather  both  lads 
did,  for  the  sound  that  arrested  their  footsteps  was 
heard  by  boih.  It  was  the  faintest  possible  rustling, 
which  might  mean  nothing  or  a  great  deal.  A  sec- 
ond told  the  truth,  and,  turning  his  head,  Ben  met 
the  glance  of  his  companion,  and  the  two  smiled, 
for  they  had  perceived  the  cause  of  their  alarm.  It 
was  so  late  in  the  season,  that  her  r  and  there  leaves 
were  continually  wavering  downward  like  the  fall  of 

i6 


A    CHANGE  OF  SITUATION.  I? 

snowflakes,  but  one  of  them,  trom  an  oak  on  their 
right,  gave  out  a  slightly  louder  rustling  than  usual, 
as  it  fluttered  among  the  limbs  and  impinged  against 
the  brown  carpet  under  their  feet. 

But  it  was  precisely  the  sound  that  the  moccasin 
of  the  stealthy  Shawanoe  would  have  made,  had  the 
warrior  forgotten  his  caution.  Nevertheless,  the 
boys  kept  their  motionless  position  for  several 
minutes,  before  Ben  whispered: 
"  It  was  only  a  leaf." 
"That  is  all." 

"  But  we  are  getting  close  to  their  camp." 
"  Why  not  bear  to  the  left  Ben  ?  "  asked  Hardin, 
who   saw  no  sense  in  running  a  risk  that  offered 
them  no  advantage. 

"  I  '11  do  so  at  the  spring." 

Hardin  nodded  his  head  to  signify  that  the  propo- 
sal was  agreeable,  and  the  advance  was  pressed  with 
the  same  caution  as  before.  Both  were  athirst,  and 
the  spring  of  water  was  well  known  to  them  They 
could  have  slaked  their  thirst  from  the  Ohio,  which 
has  served  that  good  office  to  untold  thousands  of 
men  and  animals,  but  nothing  was  so  tempting  as 
the  cold,  crystal  fountain  that  bubbled  in  the  forest, 
and  because  of  that,  they  saved  their  thirst  until 
they  should  reach  it. 

The  fact  that  nothing  of  an  alarming  nature  was 
seen  or  heard  until  near  the  little  fountain  increased 


1 8       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  W A  NOES. 

the  confidence  of  the  lads  that  they  would  make 
their  way  to  the  cabin,  which  was  their  destination, 
without  a  collision  with  the  red  men. 

"  Well,"  said  Ben,  with  a  sigh  of  anticipated  en- 
joyment, as  he  removed  his  cap  and  drew  his  hand- 
kerchief across  his  damp  forehead,  "  we  are  here, 
and  now  for  a  good,  old-fashioned  drink." 

Laying  his  cap  beside  him  on  the  ground,  where 
he  had  first  placed  his  gun,  he  lay  down,  and  with 
his  lips  against  the  clear  surface,  took  a  long,  deep 
draught,  which  ser.t  life  and  vigor  through  his 
young  frame.  Thep,  with  another  sigh  of  enjoy- 
ment, he  rose  to  his  feet  and  made  room  for  his 
companion,  who  did  the  same. 

"  That 's  worth  a  half-dozen  miles'  tramp  through 
the  v/oods,"  remarked  Hardin. 

"  I  have  walked  more  than  that  many  a  time  for 
a  drink.  Sometimes  I  have  nursed  my  thirst  at 
home  until  it  tormented  me,  and  then  made  a  bee- 
line  for  this  place,  my  only  fear  being  that  the 
spring  would  give  out  before  I  got  enough." 

"  There  are  plenty  of  springs  on  our  side  of  the 
river,  but  it  seems  to  me  there  is  none  quite  so  clear 
and  cold  as  this." 

"  There  is  n't;  if  the  Indians  burn  our  cabin,  I 
shall  urge  father,  when  peace  comes  again,  to  put 
up  the  house  a  little  nearer  this  spot,  so  that  we  can 
draw  our  supply  from  the  spring.     Why  would  n't 


A   CHANGE   OF  SITUATION.  I9 

it  be  a  good  idea,"  said  Ben,  with  a  sudden  inspira- 
tion, "  for  us  to  build  the  house  right  over  the 
spring  ? " 

"  What  good  would  that  do  you  ? " 

"  Think  how  handy  it  would  be,  if  the  Indians 
besieged  us ;  they  could  never  cut  off  our  supply  of 
water,  and,  if  they  should  set  fire  to  the  building, 
we  should  have  enough  to  put  out  the  flames." 

"  There  is  something  in  that,"  was  the  thought- 
ful reply  of  Hardin,  "  and  I  wonder  that  more 
people  don't  think  of  it " 

"  Sh!  do  you  hear  that  ?" 

No  need  of  the  question,  for  the  sounds  were  too 
distinct  to  be  mistaken.  The  Shawanoes  in  the 
large,  natural  opening  seemed  to  have  been  quiet 
for  some  time,  but  now  their  cries  rang  out  with 
startling  clearness.  Whoops,  shouts,  and  excited 
exclamations  were  uttered  by  a  score  of  warriors,  as 
if  they  had  leaped  from  the  ground  simultaneously 
and  resumed  the  ceremonies  by  which  they  roused 
their  passions  to  the  irrestrainable  point,  as  the 
Sioux  nearly  a  century  later  did  through  the  me- 
dium of  their  ghost-dances. 

"  Ben,"  said  his  comrade,  after  this  had  con- 
tinued for  a  few  minutes,  "  the  best  thing  for  us  to 
do  is  to  get  farther  away  from  those  people ;  some 
of  them  may  come  out  to  the  spring  for  a 
drink." 


20       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

"  Let  's  have  a  look  at  them;  we  <an  steal  near 
enough  to  do  so  through  the  trees  without  their 
seeing  us ;  we  shall  have  news  then  to  take  to  the 
blockhouse." 

George  Hardin  was  not  pleased  with  the  proposal, 
but  his  friend  had  given  him  a  good-natured  slur 
earlier  in  the  day,  and  he  did  not  mean  that  he 
should  have  the  opportunity  to  repeat  it.  So, 
against  his  own  judgment,  he  replied  with  pretended 
eagerness : 

"  Not  a  bad  idea;  lead  on,  and  I  '11  follow,  or 
why  not  let  me  take  the  lead  ?  " 

"  No  need  of  changing  places — hello!  " 

A  sound,  the  nature  of  which  neither  understood, 
came  to  them  from  the  opposite  direction.  It  might 
have  been  the  call  of  a  bird,  or  possibly  it  was  a 
signal  from  one  of  their  enemies.  At  any  rate,  it 
put  a  new  face  on  matters,  and  the  youths  stood  a 
moment,  undecided  what  to  do. 

"  I  '11  try  to  find  out  what  it  n)eans,"  said  Har- 
din;  "  wait  here  for  me." 

"  No  need  of  losing  the  time;  while  you  are 
doing  that,  I  '11  take  a  peep  at  the  war  party." 

The  plan  was  an  imprudent  one,  which  was  rather 
singular,  proposed  as  it  was  by  the  Kentuckian,  who 
had  displayed  so  much  caution  and  woodcraft  from 
the  first,  but  a  certain  chivalry  was  at  the  bottom  of 
it.      He   had  observed   that   his  comrade  did  not 


A    CHANGE  OF  STUATION.  21 

favor  the  plan  of  a  closer  approach  to  the  war  party, 
nor  indeed  of  lingering  in  the  neighborhood.  Ben 
was  convinced  that  the  last  sound  which  reached 
them  came  from  a  prowling  wolf,  that  was  probably 
on  his  way  to  the  spring,  when  he  was  scared  off  by 
sight  of  the  boys.  By  sending  Hardin  in  that  direc- 
tion, therefore,  under  a  plausible  excuse,  he  would 
be  removed  from  the  greater  peril  into  which  the 
Kentuckian  was  about  to  enter. 

Without  penetrating  his  purpose,  Hardin  accepted 
the  proposal,  for  nothing  was  clearer  to  him  than 
the  duty  of  watching  every  point  fromVhich  danger 
threatened. 

"  We  must  understand  each  other,"  he  said,  as 
they  were  about  to  separate;  "  how  shall  we  come 
together  again  ? " 

If  you  discover  anything  wrong,  signal  to  me, 
and  I  *11  hurry  back;  it  won't  be  long,  anyway,  be- 
fore I  '11  be  with  you." 

With  this,  the  youths  parted,  without  a  ripple 
upon  their  strong  friendship,  despite  the  belief  of 
the  Shawanoes  who  arrived  at  the  spring  a  short 
time  after,  and  discovered  what  had  taken  place. 

The  Kentuckian  had  gone  but  a  little  way  when 
he  looked  around.  George  Hardin  was  just  passing 
from  view  among  the  tree  trunks,  but  he  noticed 
that  he  was  not  following  a  direct  line.  He  had 
turned  to  the  right,  as  if  there  had  been  a  repetition 


22       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

of  the  sound  which  drew  him  from  the  spring,  but 
from  a  different  point  than  where  first  heard. 

It  was  necessary  for  Hardin  himself  to  deviate 
from  a  straight  course,  though  not  to  a  marked  ex- 
tent. Nevertheless,  had  they  continued  their  re- 
spective routes,  they  would  have  described  two  arcs 
of  a  great  circle  and  finally  met.  Before  such  an 
eventuality  could  take  place,  Ben  decided  upon  a 
change  of  plan. 

"  This  is  wrong,"  he  reflected,  as  if  suddenly 
awaking  to  his  own  remissness;  "  this  is  the  last 
place  where  we  should  part  company;  if  one  gets 
into  trouble,  the  other  can't  help  him;  I  know 
enough  already  to  tell  an  interesting  story  to  the 
folks  at  the  blockhouse.  I  've  learned  that  there 
are  several  hundred  Shawanoe  warriors  getting 
ready  to  take  the  war-path,  and  it  won't  add  much 
to  my  knowledge  to  have  a  look  at  them,  while  the 
chances  are  that  they  '11  nab  me  before  I  can  get 
away.  I  '11  go  back  to  George,  and  we  '11  leave  as 
quick  as  we  know  how." 

Perhaps  it  was  not  singular  that  the  musings  of 
young  Hardin  were  somewhat  similar  in  nature. 
He  had  hardly  passed  beyond  sight  of  his  friend, 
when  a  shadowy  figure  flitted  among  the  trees  in 
front  of  him.  A  glimpse  identified  it  as  a  wolf, 
whose  lank  body  darted  deeper  into  the  wood, 
quickly   vanishing    from  sight;    but    before  it  dis- 


A    CHANGE   OF  SITUATION.  2% 

appeared,  Hardin,  in  obedience  to  his  training, 
brought  his  gun  to  his  shoulder  and  sighted  at  the 
animal  that  had  dared  thus  to  defy  him.  His  aim 
was  so  quick  that  he  had  but  to  press  the  trigger  of 
his  weapon  to  send  the  bullet  through  the  skull  of 
the  brute,  but  it  was  as  fortunate  for  the  young 
hunter  as  for  the  wolf  itself  that  he  refrained  from 
doing  so.  The  report  of  the  rifle  would  have 
brought  some  of  the  Shawanoes  to  the  spot  before 
Hardin  could  flee,  and  it  was  providential,  we  re- 
peat, that  his  own  danger  impressed  itself  upon  him 
before  it  was  too  late. 

He  had  stopped  in  his  cautious  advance,  and  now 
peered  about  him. 

"  This  looks  as  if  I  were  deserting  Ben,"  he  re- 
flected; "  he  has  gone  into  danger,  while  I  have 
been  going  away  from  it;  I  am  not  treating  him 
right." 

He  was  on  the  point  of  turning  to  retrace  his 
steps,  when  his  comrade  appeared  among  the  trees. 

"  I  agree  with  you  that  we  can't  get  out  of  this 
neighborhood  too  soon,"  he  explained;  "  it  would 
have  been  better  had  we  borne  more  to  the  left  and 
kept  away  from  the  spring  altogether. '  * 

"  Did  you  see  anything  of  the  Shawanoes  ?  " 

"  No;  but  I  heard  them  plainly  enough ;  let  's  be 
off." 

As  before,    the  Kentuckian  took  the  lead,  and 


24       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

they  pressed  forward  for  several  hundred  yards, 
when  they  entered  a  portion  of  the  wood  where  the 
undergrowth  was  denser,  and  they  were  forced  to 
pick  their  way  with  more  care.  Nothing  had  been 
seen  of  their  enemies  as  yet,  and  when  they  reached 
a  fallen  tree  they  sat  down  side  by  side,  leaning 
their  guns  against  the  primitive  bench,  where  they 
were  within  immediate  reach. 

"  I  am  sure,"  said  Hardin,  "  that  some  of  the  In- 
dians will  come  to  the  spring  to  drink  when  they  are 
thirsty,  and  the  soft  earth  around  it  will  reveal  our 
trail.  I  wonder  whether  they  will  attempt  to  follow 
us." 

As  he  spoke,  he  looked  back  over  their  course,  as 
well  as  the  luxuriant  undergrowth  would  permit. 
But  there  was  no  sign  of  life,  nor  could  the  listen- 
ing ears  detect  any  sound  that  could  cause  mis- 
giving. 

"  There  's  no  saying  what  a  Shawanoe  will  do, 
except  to  do  all  he  can  to  injure  our  people;  but  I 
think  they  have  more  important  business  on  hand 
than  to  lose  any  time  in  trailing  us." 

"  Would  it  be  lost  time,  Ben  ?  " 

"  That  can't  be  told  until  it  is  tried;  they  have 
mighty  keen  eyes,  but  even  a  Shawanoe  can't  tell 
whether  a  trail  like  ours  is  five  minutes  or  five  hours 
old,  and  it  is  that  which  makes  all  the  difference  in 
the  world." 


A   CHANGE  OF  SITUATION.  2$ 

"  How  far  is  it  to  your  house  ?  " 

••  Not  more  than  three  or  four  miles;  a  little  way 
ahead  we  shall  strike  the  path  leading  from  the 
river,  which  we  left  or  rather  kept  away  from,  so  as 
to  get  a  drink  from  the  spring ;  then  we  shall  be 
able  to  make  better  time." 

"  And   the   blockhouse  is  about   five  miles  be- 

yond  ?  " 

"  That  's  it,  as  nearly  as  I  can  figure  out." 

"  Why  not  go  straight  there,  instead  of  to  your 
home  ?  " 

"  I  would  do  so,  if  our  house  and  the  post  were 
not  in  a  line,  and  we  shall  lose  no  time  by  taking  a 
peep  at  the  cabin.  I  am  curious  to  know  whether 
the  Indians  have  paid  it  a  visit;  one  look  will  be 
enough  for  that." 

"  It  can't  be  that  your  folks  stayed  there  ?  " 

The  young  Kentuckian  shook  his  head. 

"  I  saw  them  leave  for  the  blockhouse;  they 
went  south  and  I  north;  if  nothing  happened  to 
them,"  he  added,  in  a  slightly  tremulous  voice, 
"  they  reached  the  blockhouse  by  the  time  I  struck 
the  Ohio  and  before  I  shoved  my  canoe  from 
shore " 

While  this  conversation  was  going  on,  the  youths 
were  glancing  to  the  right  and  left  and  listening  for 
sounds  of  danger.  They  heard  none,  but  the  sen- 
tence  of  Ben    Mayberry   was   unfinished,    when  a 


26       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

remarkable  thing  occurred:  his  long,  heavy  rifle, 
leaning  against  the  log  at  his  side,  disappeared ! 

He  was  not  looking  at  it  just  then,  but  it  was  in 
his  field  of  vision,  and  he  became  aware  that  it  had 
been  whisked  out  of  sight  with  the  noiselessness  of 
the  flitting  of  a  bird's  wing  as  it  darted  past  his  face. 

It  was  a  startling  occurrence,  made  more  so  if 
possible  by  the  fact  that  precisely  the  same  thing 
occurred  with  George  Hardin  :  both  rifles  had  darted 
behind  them,  as  if  each  was  attached  to  a  string  that 
had  been  snapped  by  the  same  hand. 

Strange,  that  with  all  their  woodcraft  and  with 
their  keen  glimpses  to  the  rignt  and  left  and  rear, 
they  discovered  nothing  of  the  three  Shawanoes 
stealing  upon  them  from  behind,  while  two  others 
did  the  same  from  the  front.  The  close  under- 
growth and  thick  array  of  trees  favored  the  red  men, 
who,  having  located  the  youths  whom  they  had 
been  trailing  for  several  miles,  completed  their  ad- 
vance with  the  skill  of  perfect  masters  of  woodcraft. 

The  two  in  front  having  secured  a  position  which 
commanded  the  lads,  assumed  the  role  of  reserves 
as  may  be  said.  That  is  to  say,  they  held  them- 
selves ready  to  end  the  business  by  firing  upon  the 
couple  from  their  concealment  in  the  event  of  any 
slip  preventing  the  success  of  the  three  creeping 
forward  from  the  opposite  direction. 

But  the  recourse  was  unnecessary,  for,  aided  by 


A   CHANGE   OF  SITUATION.  2/ 

the  advantages  of  that  portion  of  the  wood,  the 
three  drew  near  in  absolute  silence,  able  to  shield 
themselves  from  discovery  when  the  youths  looked 
around.  Hardin  and  Mayberry  were  close  enough 
to  each  other  to  clasp  hands,  had  they  wished  to  do 
so,  without  shifting  their  position.  Thus  they  sat, 
when  one  of  the  crouching  warriors  reached  forward 
and  snatched  the  weapon  from  beyond  reach  of  the 
owner,  while  his  comrade  did  precisely  the  same 
thing  with  the  other. 

The  instant  Ben  checked  his  words  he  leaped  to 
his  feet  and  faced  the  other  way,  Hardin  being 
hardly  a  second  behind  him.  As  they  did  so,  they 
confronted  three  Shawanoes,  two  of  whom  held  their 
rifles.  They  had  recoiled  a  step,  and  the  painted 
countenances  were  made  more  hideous  by  the  grins 
which  showed  the  gleam  of  the  wolfish  teeth  be- 
tween the  coppery  lips. 

It  was  a  woful  lesson,  and  it  looked  as  if  the  cost 
was  to  be  their  lives. 

"  Heavens!  "  gasped  Ben;  "  we  have  been  caught 
after  all." 

"  Can't  we  help  ourselves  ?  Let  's  make  a  run 
for  it!". 

Hopeless  as  was  this  resort,  it  would  have  been 
attempted,  but  for  an  unexpected  and  insurmount- 
able obstacle.  The  boys  gathered  their  muscles  for  a 
desperate  dash  through  the  wood,  when  they  knew 


28       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  VVANOES. 

the  Shawanoes  could  easily  run  down  both  without 
diflficulty  (for  that  tribe  included  some  of  the  fleetest 
runners  in  the  world),  and,  if  it  were  possible  they 
failed  to  do  that,  the  Indians  could  readily  shoot  both 
fugitives  before  they  ran  a  dozen  paces. 

Nevertheless,  as  we  have  said,  the  effort  would 
have  been  made  had  not  the  youths  discovered  at 
hat  moment  two  other  warriors,  who  stepped  from 
behind  the  trees  directly  in  front,  and  with  their 
guns  held  ready  for  use,  advanced  toward  them. 
The  American  Indian  is  not  a  creature  of  emotion, 
and  can  hold  his  feelings  in  check  under  all  circum- 
stances, but  the  last  two  must  have  thought  that  the 
situation  warranted  them  in  joining  in  the  grinning 
of  their  companions  on  the  other  side  of  the  dis- 
comfited youths. 

No  capture  could  have  been  managed  more 
deftly.  Ben  and  George  would  have  fought  to  the 
death  had  the  opportunity  been  given,  but  not  the 
remotest  chance  presented  itself.  One  moment 
they  felt  secure,  and  the  next,  presto!  they  were 
disarmed.  The  rifles,  upon  which  they  placed  their 
chief  reliance,  were  as  much  beyond  their  reach  as 
if  they  lay  at  the  bottom  of  the  Ohio. 

Some  of  the  pioneers  carried  awkward,  flintlock 
pistols  at  their  girdles,  but  the  majority  owned  no 
other  weapon  beside  their  rifles  and  the  hunting 
knife,  which  served  them  at  close  quarters,  and  was 


A   CHANGE  OF  SITUATION.  29 

indispensable  in  cutting  bits  of  wood  for  the  camp 
fire  or  in  carving  meat  for  their  meals.  The  youths, 
therefore,  had  no  firearms  left  at  command,  and 
neither  of  them  was  imprudent  enough  to  draw  the 
weapon  carried  at  his  waist.  They  were  prisoners 
to  the  Shawanoes — the  tribe  that  had  done  ;nore 
than  any  other  in  the  Wect  to  drive  back  the  tide 
of  emigration  that  threatened  to  sweep  them  and 
their  race  out  of  existence. 

With  the  appearance  of  the  other  party,  the 
youths  yielded.  They  saw  no  hope  left,  and  sub- 
mitted with  a  grim  philosophy  which  Simon  Kenton 
nor  Daniel  Boone  could  have  surpassed.  They  had 
learned  from  their  parents  and  from  the  frontier 
scouts  who  had  spent  their  lives  in  the  West,  that 
the  worst  course  for  them  under  the  trying  circum- 
stances was  to  show  fear  or  to  beg  for  mercy. 
Therefore  they  did  neither,  but,  without  attempt- 
ing to  cheer  each  other,  when  such  a  thing  was 
impossible,  calmly  awaited  the  will  of  their  captors. 

They  were  not  kept  waiting.  The  Shawanoe 
standing  nearest  Ben  Mayberry  pointed  in  the  direc- 
tion of  the  clearing  and  said  "  Go !  "  As  if  to  make 
sure  his  command  was  understood,  he  smote  the  lad 
on  the  cheek  with  a  violence  that  sent  him  forward 
several  steps  and  nearly  carried  him  off  his  feet.  It 
was  a  savage  blow,  and  caused  the  youth  so  much 
pain  and  such  flaming  anger  that  only  by  a  strong 


30       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  IVANOES. 

effort  could  he  restrain  himself  from  whipping  out 
his  knife  and  leaping  at  his  tormentor.  Hardin  was 
equally  angered  by  the  outrage,  but  compressed  his 
lips  and  held  Lis  breath  to  prevent  himself  from  re- 
senting the  act.  He  expected  a  similar  blow,  and, 
to  avert  it,  stepped  briskly  after  his  comrade,  who, 
poising  himself,  walked  as  if  nothing  out  of  the 
usual  order  had  taken  place. 

There  was  no  attempt  now  to  proceed  in  Indian 
file.  The,  youths  kept  side  by  side,  with  their  cap- 
tors straggling  about  them.  One  maintained  his 
place  well  in  front,  so  as  to  prevent  the  party  from 
going  astray.  It  was  not  far  to  their  destination, 
and  a  few  minutes  later  they  debouched  into  the 
natural  openinnj  referred  to,  where  the  boys  entered 
upon  a  strange  scene. 

The  cleared  space  was  fully  an  acre  in  extent. 
Such  natural  openings  are  not  uncommon  in  some 
portions  of  our  country,  and  they  were  often  turned 
to  account  by  the  Indians  for  purposes  already  in- 
timated. No  squaws  or  children  were  in  sight — 
only  full-grown  warriors  and  bucks  being  present, 
for  this  gathering  was  in  every  respect  a  business 
one. 


CHAPTER  III. 

A  FRIEND   AT   COURT. 

WITHIN  this  open  space  were  gathered  more 
than  two  hundred  of  the  leading  warriors  of 
the  Shawanoe  tribe.  All  were  painted  in  the  fright- 
ful manner  that  showed  they  had  gone  upon  the 
war-path.  They  had  their  rifles,  their  tomahawks, 
and  knives,  and  were  exercising  with  them,  as  civil- 
ized soldiers  drill  while  preparing  for  battle. 

In  several  places,  at  the  sides  of  the  clearing, 
some  of  the  warriors  were  throwing  their  tomahawks 
at  marks  on  the  trunks  of  the  trees.  The  skill 
shown  in  most  cases  was  almost  incredible.  Stand- 
ing twenty  or  more  paces  away,  a  brawny  buck 
would  draw  his  hand  back  over  his  shoulder,  and 
then  make  a  lightning-like  flirt  forward.  Instantly 
the  gleaming  missile  left  his  hand,  and,  turning  end 
over  end  with  such  swiftness  as  it  shot  through  the 
air  that  the  eye  could  not  follow  its  movements,  it 
would  strike  the  solid  wood  with  a  thud  that,  had 
there  been  no  interfering  noises,  could  have  beei 
heard  several  hundred  feet  away.  Invariably  the 
keen  blade,  made  of  metal  (for  the  people  had  long 

31 


32       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

discarded  the  stone  implements  of  their  ancestors), 
would  sink  deeply  into  the  tree,  with  the  handle 
quivering  from  the  forceful  impact.  Not  once  in 
twenty  times  did  the  blade  fail  to  strike  squarely 
and  to  stick  fast. 

The  mark,  as  a  rule,  was  a  slight  spot  where  the 
shaggy  bark  had  been  chipped  away  so-  as  to  show 
the  white  gleam  of  the  inner  surface,  and  the  warrior 
who  failed  to  drive  the  edge  of  his  tomahawk  into 
the  centre  of  this  bright  spot — in  other  words,  failed 
to  make  a  "  bull's  eye  " — received  the  contemptu- 
ous grins  of  his  companions,  and  felt  ashamed  of 
himself.  There  were  few  misses,  and  some  of  the 
veterans  buried  their  hatchets  again  and  again  in 
the  same  crevice  with  the  unerring  accuracy  of  a 
rifle  shot. 

Several  spent  their  time  in  throwing  their  hunting 
knives,  much  in  the  same  manner  and  with  the  same 
remarkable  skill.  If,  through  some  mischance,  a 
Shawanoe  was  deprived  of  gun  and  tomahawk,  and 
his  foe  was  at  a  considerable  distance,  his  hunting 
knife  was  likely  to  prove  one  of  the  most  effective 
of  weapons. 

In  other  portions  of  the  plain,  Indians  were  run- 
ning races,  and  the  exhibitions  of  speed  under  less 
ominous  circumstances  would  have  been  of  the 
highest  interest  to  the  youths  who  were  fleet  of 
foot  and  fond  of  similar  tests.     There  were  groups 


A  FRIEND  AT  COURT.  33 

talking  eagerly  together,  several  couples  were  wrest- 
ling, and  fully  a  dozen  were  engaged  in  leaping 
contests.  Like  so  many  children  freed  from  the 
restraints  of  school,  these  warriors,  generally  glum 
and  self-controlled,  gave  outlet  to  their  feelings  by 
shouts,  cavortings,  and  whoops  that  would  have 
struck  terror  to  the  hearts  of  those  who  understood 
the  real  meaning  of  the  remarkable  assemblage. 

The  arrival  of  the  prisoners  gave  a  new  turn  to 
the  excitement.  Some  of  the  warriors  who  were 
running,  changed  the  direction  of  their  flight,  so  as 
to  bring  them  to  the  side  of  the  clearing  where  the 
five  bucks  appeared  with  their  captives.  A  number 
were  standing  near,  and  looked  inquiringly  at  the 
youths.  Only  those  who  were  at  the  most  distant 
point  gave  them  no  attention,  though  they  could 
not  fail  to  notice  the  arrivals. 

George  Hardin  and  Ben  Mayberry  did  not  speak 
to  each  other.  They  were  kept  slightly  apart,  but 
not  far  enough  to  prevent  their  communicating  had 
they  been  so  disposed.  But  what  could  they  do  to 
cheer  each  other,  when  both  firmly  believed  that, 
their  doom  had  been  fixed  from  the  moment  of  their 
capture  ?  They  exchanged  crlances  now  and  then, 
but  their  faces  were  pale  and  their  hearts  throbbed 
painfully.  Young  as  they  were,  all  their  lives  had 
been  spent  on  the  frontier,  and  they  knew  the 
cruelties   of  which  the  red  men  were  fond.     The 


34       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

father  of  Hardin  had  once  been  a  fellow-prisoner 
with  the  great  scout,  Simon  Kenton,  through  whose 
help  he  effected  his  escape  after  he  had  been  tied 
to  the  stake  and  the  torch  was  on  the  point  of  being 
applied  to  the  pile  of  wood  at  his  feet.  Kenton  had 
sat  at  their  fireside  and  told  his  thrillmg  experi- 
ences with  the  Shawanoes,  Wyandots,  and  other 
tribes,  and  the  history  of  Colonel  Crawford  was 
familiar  to  all.  That  unfortunate  commander  was 
not  only  overwhelmingly  defeated  by  the  Indians 
against  whom  he  marched,  but  he  was  made  prisoner 
and  burned  to  death  at  the  stake,  amid  the  gibes  of 
Simon  Girty,  the  renegade,  and  accompanied  by 
agonies  too  dreadful  to  be  recalled.  All  these  and 
many  other  legends  were  familiar  to  the  boys,  who 
held  not  a  doubt  that  they  were  doomed  to  be  added 
to  the  long  list  of  victims  of  the  ferocious  hatred 
of  the  red  men,  who  were  ra'ying  for  a  united  effort 
to  beat  back  the  advance  of  the  pale  faces  into  their 
hunting-grounds. 

We  have  no  wish  to  harrow  the  feelings  of  the 
reader  by  describing  a  scene  which,  alas !  was  only 
too  common  on  the  frontier  within  the  past  century. 
But  beyond  question,  the  young  captives  would 
have  been  subjected  to  a  death  that  would  make 
one  shudder  to  recall,  but  for  a  deliverance  as  re- 
markable as  it  was  unexpected.  One  of  the  favorite 
methods  of  gaining  entertainment  from  their  help- 


A   FRIEND  AT  COURT.  35 

less  captives  was  for  the  Indians  to  make  them  run 
the  gauntlet.  Little  hope  would  either  of  the  lads 
have  had  of  reaching  the  farther  end  of  two  rows  of 
warriors,  between  whom  they  would  have  to  speed, 
while  the  savages  clubbed  them  mercilessly  as  they 
came  within  reach.  The  most  popular  form  of 
torture,  however,  was  to  tie  them  to  trees  and  build 
fires  about  them,  from  which  there  was  no  possible 
escape. 

But  none  of  these  appalling  trials  awaited  our 
young  friends.  They  had  not  stood  five  minutes 
on  the  edge  of  the  clearing,  so  surrounded  that 
flight  was  out  of  the  question,  when  three  Indians 
approached  from  a  point  a  hundred  feet  distant. 
The  middle  one  walked  so  fast  that  he  left  the 
others  behind,  though  they  followed  him,  as  if  they 
knew  what  was  coming. 

There  was  something  in  the  appearance  of  this 
Indian  which  showed  him  to  be  the  leader  and  chief 
of  all  the  other  chiefs  and  sachems.  It  was  not  in 
his  dress,  for  that  was  not  so  conspicuous  as  that  of 
many  of  the  younger  warriors,  but  it  was  in  his  face, 
his  manner,  his  mien.  He  was  in  the  prime  of  life, 
rather  under  than  above  the  usual  stature,  and  with 
just  enough  inclination  to  corpulency  to  make  his 
figure  round  and  attractive.  He  wore  the  usual 
hunting  shirt,  moccasins,  and  leggings,  with  knife 
and   tomahawk  in   the  girdle  which   spanned   his 


36       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

waist.  His  long,  black  hair  dangled  about  his 
shoulders,  and  a  couple  of  stained  eagle  feathers 
protruded  from  the  crown.  He  carried  a  long, 
formidable  rifle  in  his  right  hand,  and  strode  for- 
ward as  a  king  might  have  done,  as  in  truth  he  was, 
for  he  was  Tecumseh,  the  greatest  American  Indian 
that  ever  lived,  an  unsurpassable  warrior,  a  natural 
statesman,  and  a  chivalrous  foe.  He  ruled  by  the 
power  of  his  imperial  genius,  and  no  matter  what 
he  said  or  did,  the  most  daring  of  his  race  feared  to 
oppose  by  so  much  as  a  look. 

Advancing  straight  to  where  the  boys  stood,  he 
fixed  his  bright,  black  eyes  upon  them,  glancing 
from  one  to  the  other,  with  the  quick,  flitting 
movement  of  a  bird  that  is  watching  the  approach 
of  some  one  whose  intentions  it  suspects  without 
being  sure.  The  face  of  Tecumseh  was  not  painted, 
and  that  the  wonderful  Shawanoe  was  handsome 
was  admitted  by  his  most  bitter  enemies.  His  nose 
was  slightly  Roman,  he  had  white  and  even  teeth, 
and  the  countenance  was  an  almost  perfect  oval. 
He  would  have  attracted  attention  anywhere,  for 
through  that  dusky  face  glowed  the  soul  that  has 
given  the  extraordinary  man  a  reputation  never 
attained  by  any  of  his  race. 

Let  us  pause  at  this  point  to  recall  some  facts 
about  Tecumseh,  who  has  a  prominent  part  to  play 
in  the  pages  that  follow.     We  confess  to  a  strong 


A   FRIEND  AT  COURT.  37 

liking  for  him — a  liking  in  which  we  are  not  alone, 
as  is  proven  by  the  number  of  places  in  different 
parts  of  the  country  named  in  his  honor — one  that 
has  been  borne  by  many  of  our  best  people,  as  in 
the  case  of  General  Sherman,  one  of  the  leaders  in 
the  War  for  the  Union. 

Tecumseh,  sometimes  spelled  Tecumtha,  was 
born  about  the  year  1768,  and  was  a  triplet.  One 
of  his  brothers  was  an  ordinary  warrior,  who  has 
left  no  record  of  his  doings.  The  other  was  only 
second  to  Tecumseh  himself  in  renown.  He  was 
EUskwatawa,  generally  called  The  Prophet,  who 
claimed  to  be  a  great  medicine  man,  and  attained 
considerable  influence  over  his  race,  though  it  never 
equalled  that  of  Tecumseh,  of  whom  The  Prophet 
stood  in  awe. 

Tecumseh  grew  up  among  his  people,  who  at  that 
time  formed  the  most  formidable  tribe  of  Indians  in 
Ohio  and  Kentucky.  While  a  boy,  he  was  noted 
for  his  daring,  skill,  and  success  as  a  hunter  and 
warrior.  He  shared  with  his  tribe  their  hatred  of 
the  white  nee,  that  had  invaded  the  hunting- 
grounds  of  his  people,  and  none  was  more  active 
than  he  in  fighting  back  the  emigrants  who  threat- 
ened to  bring  ruin  and  devastation  to  all  the  red 
men  of  the  country. 

While  a  boy,  he  accompanied  a  small  party  of  his 
warriors  on  a  raid  against  some  exposed  settlers. 


38       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

The  raid  was  successful,  and,  in  accordan':e  with 
the  principles  of  his  adult  companions,  they  in- 
flicted several  deaths  by  torture.  Tecumseh,  in- 
stead of  taking  part  in  the  barbarity,  was  horrified, 
and  it  is  a  proof  of  the  amazing  influence  he  gained 
over  his  race  that  he  made  every  one  of  his  com- 
panions promise  never  to  inflict  torture  upon  any 
other  captives  who  might  fall  into  their  hands. 

Such  chivalry  of  sentiment  on  the  gart  of  a  war- 
rior is  apt  to  weaken  his  power,  and  to  cause  him  to 
be  looked  upon  as  effeminate,  or  as  a  "  squaw,"  as 
such  persons  were  often  contemptuously  called.  But 
it  was  not  so  with  Tecumseh,  whose  commanding 
greatness  grew  with  his  years.  While  still  a  young 
man,  he  fell  into  the  habit  of  drinking  the  fire-water 
which  was  readily  obtained  from  the  white  traders. 
He  developed  so  great  a  fondness  for  it,  that  for 
months  he  was  almost  continuously  under  its  influ- 
ence, and  the  man  who  would  have  dared  at  that 
time  to  prophesy  a  great  future  for  him  would  have 
been  scoffed  at. 

But  it  was  in  this  very  respect  that  he  gave  evi- 
dence of  his  real  greatness.  There  were  no  temper- 
ance societies  among  the  Indians,  no  cure  to  avail 
oneself  of,  but  the  young  Shawanoe  chieftain  saw 
that  he  was  not  only  rushing  to  ruin  himself,  but 
was  leading  others  thither  by  his  example.  He 
straightway  stopped  his  indulgence,  and  either  per- 


A   FRIEND  AT  COURT.  39 

suaded  or  scared  scores  of  his  people  into  leaving 
the  poison  alone. 

"  It  is  deadlier  than  their  big  guns,"  he  said;  "  it 
will  slay  us  all  unless  we  cast  it  from  us  like  a  snake 
that  has  fastened  its  fangs  in  our  arm." 

Tecumseh  was  original  in  his  temperance  work  as 
in  everything  he  did.  He  came  upon  a  brother 
chief  who  was  in  the  act  of  elevating  a  black  jug  to 
his  lips.  Tecumseh  did  not  need  to  catch  a  whiff 
of  the  rank  stuff  to  understand  its  nature.  Leaping 
forward,  he  snatched  the  jug  from  the  hand  of  the 
other,  whose  lips  retained  their  pucker  as  he  turned 
angrily  upon  the  one  that  had  dared  to  interfere 
with  his  enjoyment.  Before,  however,  he  could 
make  protest,  Tecumseh  broke  the  crockery  over 
the  crown  of  the  other  chieftain,  with  the  announce- 
ment that  if  he  ever  caught  him  trying  to  indulge 
again  in  the  poison,  he  would  substitute  the  butt 
of  his  rifle  for  the  jug,  so  as  to  make  sure  of  crack- 
ing his  skull.  It  may  be  safely  presumed  that  the 
grieved  Shawanoe  became  a  true  temperance  man, 
at  any  rate  as  long  as  he  was  within  reach  of  Te- 
cumseh's  wrath. 

All  our  readers  are  familiar  with  the  outrages 
perpetrated  by  the  Indians  along  the  Ohio  upon 
the  settlements  of  that  region,  a  short  time  after  the 
close  of  the  Revolution.  These  became  so  intoler- 
able that  President  Washington  sent  several  expedi- 


40       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SNA  WANOES. 

tions  to  bring  the  tribes  to  terms.  Crawford,  as 
already  stated,  was  defeated,  and  then  a  more  im- 
portant expedition  was  almost  destroyed  while 
under  the  leadership  of  St.  Clair,  a  companion-in- 
arms of  Washington,  who  had  repeatedly  warned 
him  against  a  surprise  and  ambush  by  the  Indians. 
St.  Clair,  despite  these  warnings,  committed  the 
very  blunder  that  proved  fatal.  When  news  reached 
Washington,  he  gave  way  to  a  tempest  of  indigna- 
tion that  terrified  every  one  within  hearing,  for  the 
disaster  of  St.  Clair  was  without  excuse. 

When  the  great  man  had  recovered  his  usual  self- 
control,  he  expressed  regret  for  the  outburst,  but 
added  that  he  would  send  a  man  to  the  West  who 
would  do  the  work  that  was  beyond  the  capacity  of 
those  that  had  already  tried  it,  and  he  kept  his 
word  by  despatching  thither  the  dashing,  but  skilled 
general,  "  Mad  Anthony "  Wayne.  At  Fallen 
Timbers,  in  1794,  Wayne  delivered  a  crushing  de- 
feat to  the  combined  tribes,  with  whose  leaders  he 
made  a  treaty  which  brought  security  and  safety  to 
the  frontier  that  lasted  until  the  mutterings  of  the 
War  of  1812  were  heard. 

Among  the  most  conspicuous  leaders  at  Fallen 
Timbers  was  Tecumseh,  many  of  whose  exploits 
compelled  the  admiration  of  the  bravest  of  Wayne's 
forces.  His  heart  was  set  upon  winning  that  battle, 
and  had  the  others  fought  with  the  daring  and  skill 


A  FRIEND  AT  COURT.  4 1 

of  the  Shawanoe  chieftain,  there  might  have  been  a 
different  story  to  tell,  though  the  Kentuckians  and 
their  comrades  were  heroes,  every  one  of  them. 

Tecumseh  did  not  f  -vor  the  treaty  of  Greenville, 
by  which  the  different  tribes  gave  up  a  large  are?  of 
land  and  bound  themselves  to  preserve  peace,  but 
when  the  compact  was  made,  none  observed  it  more 
conscientiously  than  he.  He  took  no  part  in  the 
forays  against  the  settlers  that  were  stealthily  kept 
up  in  some  quarters,  but  opposed  them,  and  led  the 
life  of  a  hunter  and  tiller  of  the  patch  of  ground 
which  surrounded  the  cabin  where  he  made  his 
home  with  his  wife  and  young  son. 

But  there  must  have  been  growing  within  him  at 
that  time  an  abiding  faith  in  his  own  mission  as  the 
leader  of  his  people.  Like  Philip  of  Mount  Hope, 
and  Pontiac,  chief  of  the  Ottawas,  Tecumseh  be- 
lieved that,  by  a  union  of  all  the  tribes,  an  effectual 
bar  could  be  offered  to  the  advance  of  the  whites 
into  their  territory,  but  the  Shawanoe  was  wiser 
than  the  Wampanoag  and  the  Ottawa,  for  he  never 
indulged  the  wild  dream  that  such  a  union  could  be 
carried  to  the  extent  of  destroying  every  pale  face 
in  the  land  (a  faith  which  perhaps  was  not  so  wild 
in  the  case  of  Philip,  when  there  were  comparatively 
few  white  people  in  the  country),  but  he  was  certain 
that  such  a  union  could  be  made  to  compel  the 
Americans  to  act  justly  toward  the  Indians — a  feat 


42       TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SUA  W A  NOES. 

which  was  never  accomplished  in  the  past,  and,  sad 
to  say,  is  not  likely  ever  to  be  accomplished  in  the 
future. 

To  understand  that  which  follows,  the  position  of 
Tecumseh  in  this  dispute  must  be  made  clear.  His 
contention  was  that  no  single  tribe  of  Indians  had 
the  right  to  sell  any  of  their  lands,  inasmuch  as  it 
did  not  belong  to  them  as  a  tribe,  but  to  all  the 
tribes,  whose  united  assent  must  be  obtained  in 
order  to  perfect  the  title  of  the  white  men  to  any 
portion  of  the  continent.  The  natural  conclusion 
of  this  argument  was  that  (its  truth  being  admitted) 
very  few,  if  any  of  the  States,  had  a  right  to  the 
land  they  occupied.  In  justice,  therefore,  they 
should  give  it  back  to  the  original  inhabitants,  the 
title  remaining  in  abeyance  until  such  time  as  the 
transfer  could  be  effected  upon  the  basis  named. 

This  was  the  position  taken  by  the  Shawanoe 
leader,  and  from  which  no  argument  or  protest 
could  force  him.  It  was  legitimate,  as  following  his 
premises,  but  it  was  a  view  which  could  not  be  ac- 
cepted by  General  William  Henry  Harrison,  Gover- 
nor of  the  Northwest  Territory,  nor  by  any  of  the 
American  authorities,  for  to  accept  it  would  have 
overturned  the  Western  country  itself. 

Returning  from  this  digression,  it  may  be  added 
that  George  Hardin  and  Ben  Mayberry  recognized 
Tecumseh  when   they   saw  him   approaching.     In 


A   FRIEND  AT  COURT.  43 

fact,  when  comparative  peace  reigned  on  the 
frontier,  the  Shawanoe  had  crossed  the  threshold 
of  both  their  homes,  and  had  sat  at  the  table  of 
the  Kentuckian,  but  at  such  times  there  was  always 
a  dignity  and  reserve  about  the  chief  which  pre- 
vented anything  in  the  nature  of  familiarity,  and 
now  closed  the  lips  of  the  youths  from  making  an 
appeal  to  him,  when  he  halted  but  a  few  paces  in 
front  of  them. 

The  boys  had  heard  of  his  chivalrous  treatment 
of  prisoners,  but  hardly  dared  to  hope  that  he  would 
restore  them  to  freedom.  He  might  prevent  their 
torture,  but  since  war  was  impending,  if  it  had  not 
actually  broken  out,  he  would  probably  hold  them 
secure  until  they  could  be  exchanged,  or  perhaps 
leave  them  to  meet  death  when  his  own  duties 
caused  him  to  withdraw  his  vigilance. 

But  they  failed  to  give  the  chieftain  the  credit  he 
deserved.  He  knew  what  would  befall  the  captives 
without  his  active  friendship,  and  to  use  a  common 
expression  he  did  not  intend  to  take  any  chances. 

He  held  hi.  place  as  has  been  described,  glancing 
from  one  to  the  other  with  that  peculiar  flitting 
movement  which  was  exceedingly  trying  to  the  lads, 
who,  fixing  their  own  gaze  upon  the  coppery  face, 
repressed  all  evidence  of  fear — a  feat  which  it  is 
safe  to  conclude,  pleased  him  who  had  no  patience 
with  timidity  in  any  one. 


44       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

Ben  Mayberry  as  he  afterward  remarked,  believed 

it  would  help  him  if  he  should  appeal  to  the  ac- 
quaintance of  Tecumseh,  but  he  was  afraid  to  do  so. 

There  was  that  in  the  stern,  immobile  face,  with  its 

flashing  eyes,  which  forbade  so  much  presumption 

on  his  part. 

Turning  to  the  warrior  who  held  the  rifle  of  Har- 
din, Tecumseh  ordered  him  to  return  it,  and  the 
Indian  complied  as  promptly  as  a  child  could  have 
done.  Then  the  chieftain  turned  to  the  other,  who, 
without  waiting  for  the  order,  stepped  forward  and 
handed  the  weapon  of  Mayberry  to  him.  This 
little  incident  left  no  doubt  of  the  friendly  intention 
of  Tecumseh,  and  lifted  a  mountain  from  the  hearts 
of  the  youthful  prisoners. 

Hitherto  the  leader  had  spoken  in  Shawanoe,  but 
his  knowledge  of  English  enabled  him  to  converse 
as  readily  in  one  tongue  as  the  other.  Addressing 
himself  to  Ben,  he  asked : 

"  Why  are  you  here  ?  " 

"  I  was  on  my  way  home,  when  your  warriors 
made  prisoner  of  me,  and  I  could  not  help  my- 
self." 

"  Go  to  your  home;  tell  your  people  to  hurry  to 
the  blockhouse  or  the  settlement,  for  the  red  men 
have  dug  up  the  hatchet,  and  some  of  them  will 
soon  be  here." 

"  They  have  already  fled  to  the  blockhouse,"  re- 


A  FRIEND  AT  COURT.  45 

plied  Ben,  with  as  much  deference  as  if  talking  with 
Washington  himself. 

'•  Why  did  you  not  go  with  them  ? "  sternly  asked 

Tecumseh. 

"I  went  to  the  Ohio  to  meet  my  friend  who  had 

set  out  to  visit  me. 

The  black  eyes  were  now  turned  upon  Hardin, 
who  fairly  trembled. 

•'  You  live  yonder,"  said  Tecumseh,  pointing  to 
the  northward,  or  in  the  direction  of  the  Ohio,  and 
evidently  recognizing  the  youth;  "  go  back  to  your 
people;  you  ?re  children;  you  have  no  business  to 
be  alone  in  the  woods ;  I  give  you  your  liberty  this 
time,  but  I  shall  not  do  so  again ;  now  make  haste ; 
let  me  see  you  no  more." 

And  the  chieftain  turned  his  back  upon  them,  as 
if  other  matters  required  his  attention,  while  the 
youths,  it  need  hardly  be  said,  lost  no  time  in  taking 
advantage  of  the  offer  made  to  them. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

TWO   FRIENDS   AND   ENEMIES. 

THE  Northwest  Territory  consisted  of  the  area 
west  of  Pennsylvania,  north  of  the  Ohio  River, 
and  east  of  the  Mississippi.  It  came  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Continental  Congress  by  reason  of  the 
cessions  made  by  New  York  in  1782,  Virginia  in 
1784,  Massachusetts  in  1785,  and  Connecticut  in 
1786.  It  was  organized  by  the  ordinance  of  1787, 
among  the  provisions  being  the  prohibition  of  sla- 
very and  the  taking  up  of  lands  except  by  purchase 
from  the  Indians,  and  the  offering  of  them  for  sale 
by  the  United  States.  Arthur  St.  Clair  was  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Territory  from  1788  to  1802,  when  Ohio 
was  admitted  to  the  Union.  In  1805  the  western 
portions  were  organized  as  the  Territory  of  Indiana, 
and  the  northern  as  the  Territory  of  Michigan. 

Previous  to  this,  William  Henry  Harrison,  after- 
ward ninth  President  of  the  United  States,  had  be- 
come identified  with  that  vast  but  sparsely  settled 
section.  He  was  a  native  of  Virginia,  was  educated 
at  Hampden  Sidney  College,  but  entered  the  army 

at  an  early  age  and  fought  at  Wayne's  victory  over 

46 


TPyO  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES.  47 

the  Indians  in  1794.  He  was  Secretary  of  the 
Northwest  Territory  in  1798,  and  the  following  year 
a  delegate  to  Congress.  He  succeeded  St.  Clair  as 
Governor  of  Northwest  Territory,  holding  that  place 
at  the  time  of  the  breaking  out  of  the  War  of  181 2. 
Governor  Harrison  was  a  close  observer  of  events, 
and  foresaw  the  troubles  that  were  likely  to  come 
because  of  the  resentment  of  Tecumseh  and  the 
machinations  of  the  British  agents  who  were  doing 
their  ivtmost  to  foment  war  between  the  various 
tribes  of  the  Northwest  and  the  United  States.  It 
was  on  the  day  succeeding  the  events  described  in 
the  previous  chapters,  that  Governor,  or  as  he  is 
more  popularly  known,  General  Harrison,  who  was 
on  a  tour  with  two  members  of  his  staff,  approached 
the  Ohio  from  the  north,  selecting  the  spot  known 
as  the  Siiawanoe  Crossing.  His  runners  had  brought 
him  information  of  the  growing  discontent  among 
the  red  men,  and  still  hopeful  of  being  able  to  avert 
the  war  with  its  fearful  consequences  to  the  border, 
he  had  sent  a  message  to  Tecumseh,  asking  him  to 
meet  him  for  a  talk.  The  chieftain  replied  that  he 
woiild  be  at  the  place, named  on  the  date  referred 
to,  just  after  the  sun  had  crossed  the  meridian. 
General  Harrison  and  his  companions  were  mounted 
on  excellent  horses,  and  by  following  the  well-beaten 
trails  and  primitive  highways,  they  arrived  at  the 
spot  somewhat  ahead  of  the  appointed  time.     It  so 


48       TECUMSEff,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

happened  that  Tecumseh  did  the  same,  so  that  the 
arrival  of  the  two  at  opposite  banks  of  the  stream 
was  nearly  simultaneous. 

Looking  across  the  river,  Harrison  discerned  a 
group  of  Indians  standing  near  the  shore,  as  if 
awaiting  the  appearance  of  some  one.  Placing  his 
glasses  to  his  eyes,  the  General,  who  was  in  uniform, 
scrutinized  the  group  for  a  moment,  and  then  re- 
marked with  considerable  satisfaction : 

"  It  's  Tecumseh  and  three  of  his  warriors.  He 
is  as  prompt  as  ourselves." 

"  We  shall  wait  here  for  them  ?  "  was  the  inquir- 
ing remark  of  Colonel  Preston,  one  of  the  Governor's 
aides. 

"  It  is  a  matter  of  no  importance." 

"  I  would  not  trust  those  people,"  added  Major 
Burbank,  the  third  member  of  the  visitors;  "  all  of 
them  are  treacherous ;  we  shall  be  safer  on  this  side, 
where  we  have  our  horses  and  a  good  line  trail  to 
follow." 

"  I  should  not  trust  them  if  Tecumseh  were  not 
their  leader,"  remarked  General  Harrison;  "  I  have 
placed  myself  in  his  power  more  than  once,  as  he 
has  done  with  me — ah!  " 

Tecumseh,  stepping  from  his  companions,  was 
seen  to  be  waving  a  white  handkerchief  as  a  flag  of 
truce.     Colonel  Preston  smiled. 

"  I  was  not  aware  that  the  Shawanoes  were  par- 


riVO  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES.  49 

tial  to  handkerchiets ;  I  suppose  the  next  thing  with 
them  will  be  umbrellas." 

"  Tecumseh  always  carries  one  or  two,  though  I 
suspect  that  the  chief  use  he  puts  them  to  is  as 
signals.  Well,  that  means  that  he  wishes  us  to  cross 
over  to  him." 

"  Are  you  satisfied  that  it  is  safe  to  trust  him  ? " 
was  the  doubting  inquiry  of  Colonel  Preston;  "  you 
know  there  is  unusual  excitement  among  all  the 
tribes." 

"  And  this  canoe  lying  against  the  bank  to  the 
right  looks  to  me  as  if  it  had  been  placed  there  to 
tempt  us  into  a  trap,"  added  the  Major. 

"  There  is  no  cause  for  alarm,  gentlemen,"  re- 
plied the  General,  with  some  asperity;  "  but  I  do 
not  wish  to  do  violence  to  your  superior  judgment ; 
you  can  remain  here,  while  I  paddle  across  in  the 
,  canoe." 

f      The  grim  soldier  walked  with  a  certain  dignity  to 
the  spot  where  the  little  boat  rested  against  the 
*  bank,   intending  to  leave  his  companions  behind. 
Their  faces  flushed  under  the  rebuke,  and  before  the 
General  could  reach  the  boat,  Colonel  Preston  was 
^  ahead  of  him,  with  the  Major  at  his  heels.     They 
I  said  nothing,  but  their  superior  was  only  partially 
I  mollified  and   his  face  was  stern  when   he  seated 
i  himself  at  one  end  of  the  canoe,  as  if  still  half- 
minded   to  order  them  out.     He  held  his  peace, 


50       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SI/A  IV A  NOES. 

however,  and  folding  his  arms,  calmly  watched  the 
group  which  he  was  facing,  while  Colonel  Preston 
plied  the  long  paddle  with  the  skill  of  a  Shawanoe 
himself. 

In  ninety-nine  instances  out  of  a  hundred,  the 
protest  of  the  two  officers  would  have  been  com- 
mendable, for  they  were  placing  themselves  wholly 
in  the  power  of  a  group  of  men  whose  race  is  among 
the  most  treacherous  in  the  world.  All  of  the 
officers  carried  cumbersome  pistols  and  swords  with 
which  they  could  give  a  good  account  of  themselves 
in  a  hand-to-hand  scrimmage,  but  not  one  had  a 
rifle.  Like  the  General,  the  other  two  were  in  uni- 
form, a  fact  which,  as  a  rule,  increased  their  danger, 
since  it  required  no  very  bright  Indian  to  under- 
stand the  importance  of  picking  off  the  leaders  in 
preference  to  the  common  soldiers. 

Tecumseh  and  his  companions  were  armed  each 
with  gun,  knife,  and  tomahawk.  While  standing 
on  the  shore  awaiting  the  approach  of  the  canoe,  it 
was  the  easiest  matter  in  the  world  to  shoot  the 
three  men,  without  giving  them  the  first  chance  of 
defending  themselves.  It  would  be  more  in  accord- 
ance, however,  with  Indian  nature  to  await  their 
arrival  and  until  the  interview  had  continued  for 
some  time,  before  falling  upon  them.  What  more 
easy  ar\d  natural  than  for  Tecumseh  to  place  a  score 
of  his  warriors  in  ambush  with  orders  to  open  fire  at 


TPP'O  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES.  %\ 

a  signal  from  him  ?  Many  a  time  that  very  thing 
had  been  done  before  the  day  of  General  Harrison, 
and  many  a  time  has  it  been  repeated  in  recent 
years. 

No  one  could  be  more  cutting  than  General  Har- 
rison when  offended,  and  his  aides  preferred  to  incur 
any  risk  of  assassination  at  the  hands  of  the  redskins 
to  a  second  reproof  from  him.  Accordingly,  Colo- 
nel Preston  paddled  with  vigor,  as  if  it  was  hard  to 
restrain  his  impatience  to  meet  the  Shawanoes  and 
their  leader.  At  the  same  time,  both  he  and  Major 
Burbank  glanced  stealthily  at  their  side-arms  to 
make  sure  they  were  ready  for  use. 

General  Harrison  retained  his  place  at  the  stern 
with  folded  arms,  his  thin  lips  compressed,  and  his 
keen  eyes  fixed  upon  the  group  they  were  approach- 
ing, while  he  seemed  oblivious  to  the  presence  of  his 
aides.  As  the  boat  drew  near  the  shore,  the  com- 
panions of  Tecumsch,  evidently  in  obedience  to  his 
order,  withdrew  beyond  hearing,  and  seated  them- 
selves on  the  ground. 

"  No  doubt  a  part  of  his  plan  to  throw  us  off  our 

\  guard,"    thought  the  Colonel  and  Major,  though 

neither  gave  expression  to  the  fancy;  "  that  leaves 

us  within  easy  range  when  the  chief  signals  to  them 

to  open  fire." 

Colonel  Preston  curved  the  course  of  the  boat  so 
.  as  to  thrust  the  end   containing  General  Harrison 


52       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

first  against  the  bank.  This  was  done  lightly,  and 
the  Governor,  who  was  familiar  with  the  ways  of 
the  woods,  stepped  ashore  and  grasped  the  extended 
hand  of  the  Shawanoe  chieftain,  whose  manner  in- 
dicated his  pleasure  at  meeting  .his  old  friend. 
They  exchanged  the  conventional  greeting,  and 
then  Harrison  turned  to  his  aides  and  said : 

"  You  will  wait  here  until  we  are  through." 

The  oflficers  touched  their  fingers  to  their  fore- 
heads and  bowed.  Then  at  the  invitation  of  Te- 
cumseh,  the  General  followed  him  several  rods  up 
stream  and  away  from  the  group  of  warriors,  who 
were  watching  proceedings.  Thus  the  two  leaders 
were  beyond  earshot  of  every  one.  Standing  for  a 
moment  on  the  grassy,  sloping  bank  of  the  stream, 
Harrison  looked  at  the  chieftain,  and  with  a  curious 
smile  remarked : 

"  The  earth  is  my  mother,  and  I  will  rest  on  her 
bosom,"  and  then  he  seated  himself. 

Tecumseh  caught  the  point  of  this  remark  and 
smiled,  for  the  incident  to  which  it  referred  is  his- 
torical. It  was  at  a  conference  between  General 
Harrison  and  a  number  of  officers  on  the  one  hand 
and  Tecumseh  and  a  party  of  chiefs  on  the  other, 
when  the  great  Shawanoe,  after  finishing  an  address, 
turned  to  seat  himself,  and  found  no  chair  awaiting 
him.  General  Harrison  made  haste  to  repair  the 
oversight,  with  suitable  apology,  but,  declining  the 


•/I 

s 


2 
O 


riVO  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES^  53 

chair,  Tecumseh  made  the  remark  quoted  by  his 
visitor,  and,  folding  his  arms,  seated  himself  on  the 
ground,  where  he  remained  during  the  conference. 

Harrison  was  a  man  of  deeds  rather  than  words, 
and  sitting  down  nigh  enough  to  touch  the  Sha- 
wanoe,  said: 

"  I  thank  you,  Tecumseh,  for  doing  as  I  re- 
quested." 

"  Has  Tecumseh  ever  refused  to  please  his 
brother  ? "  asked  the  chief,  turning  his  head  so  as 
to  look  into  the  face  of  the  Governor. 

"  No;  Tecumseh  is  the  greatest  of  his  people; 
he  never  speaks  with  a  double  tongue,  and  he  is  as 
honorable  an  enemy  as  he  is  generous  as  a  friend. 
It  would  delight  my  heart  if  we  could  always  be 
friends." 

"  It  will  not  be  the  fault  of  Tecumseh  if  we  are 
not." 

The  Governor  smiled  at  this  rather  neat  reply, 
and,  before  he  could  frame  a  proper  response,  the 
chieftain  added : 

"  My  brother  has  but  to  do  that  which  is  right  to 
bind  Tecumseh  and  his  people  to  him  and  his 
friends  by  cords  that  can  never  be  broken." 

"  You  say  I  have  only  to  do  right,"  remarked  the 
.Governor,  earnestly;  "and  I  make  reply  in  the 
same  words :  it  remains  only  for  you  to  do  what  is 
right." 


54       TECUMSEH   CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

Tecumseh,  like  all  his  race,  possessed  a  quick 
temper,  and  there  was  a  flash  of  his  black  eyes;  as 
he  slightly  shifted  his  position  and  demanded  : 

"  What  has  Tecumseh  done  that  is  not  right  ? " 

"  I  did  i:ot  make  myself  quite  clear — pardon  me. 
When  we  met  before,  you  told  me  that  you  would 
never  live  at  peace  with  the  white  people  until  they 
gave  up  the  land  that  they  occupied  and  secured  the 
consent  of  all  the  tribes  to  their  living  upon  it." 

"  Tecumseh  said  those  words,  and  he  says  them 
again." 

"  Reflect,  my  brother.  There  are  two  reasons 
why  my  people  can  never  take  your  view  of  the 
trouble.  Neither  I  nor  the  great  Father  at  Wash- 
ington can  compel  them  to  do  so,  if  we  were  so 
minded,  for  they  and  their  fathers  before  them 
have  lived  upon  these  lands  for  many,  many  years." 

"  Because  their  fathers  stole  them  from  the  In- 
dians; is  the  wrong  of  a  thing  made  right  because 
it  is  old?  "  was  the  pertinent  question  of  Tecumseh. 
Harrison  saw  that  he  must  take  another  tack. 

"  As  I  view  it,  you  do  not  look  at  the  dispute  in 
the  right  way. ' ' 

* '  What  is  the  right  way  ?  *  * 

"  I  will  illustrate:  you  and  your  people  live  upon 
these  hunting-grounds,  where  it  has  been  the  law 
for  a  good  many  years  that  the  white  man  shall  not 
take  a  foot  of  land  without   paying  your  warriors 


TfVO  FEIENDS  AND  ENEMIES.  55 

therefor.  That  has  been  done,  but,  according  to 
your  view,  we  must  secure  the  consent  not  only  of 
the  Shawanoes,  Wyandots,  Pottawatomies,  and 
Delawares,  but  of  all  the  tribes,  like  the  Creeks, 
Choctaws,  and  Iroquois,  whose  hunting-grounds 
are  hundreds  of  miles  distant  from  yours." 

"  By  following  that  path  the  white  man  will  meet 
with  no  thorns  and  briars,  because  it  is  the  true  one 
which  the  Great  Spirit  commands  him  to  follow." 

General  Harrison  had  determined  to  keep  his 
temper,  but  he  was  impatient,  for  he  knew  the 
mental  ability  of  his  companion,  and  could  not  help 
believing  he  was  wilful  in  his  opposition. 

"  Some  of  our  people  are  living  by  the  Great 
Lakes,  where  the  Ottawas  have  their  homes ;  they 
have  bought  their  lands  from  them ;  do  you  insist 
that  those  white  people  ought  to  send  representa- 
tives here  to  obtain  the  consent  of  your  people  be- 
fore keeping  their  lands  and  dwellings  ?  " 

"  Those  are  the  words  of  Tecumseh." 

"  Suppose  your  people  took  it  into  their  heads  to 
refuse  ?  " 

"  Then  the  white  people  should  give  up  the  land. 
All  this  country  once  belonged  to  the  red  men; 
they  roamed  over  it  between  the  two  great  oceans ; 
the  pale  faces  came  in  their  ships  and  landed  on  our 
shores  without  asking  permission  of  those  who 
owned  the  land ;  instead,  they  shot  and  killed  the 


56       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

red  men,  when,  if  they  had  treated  them  as  brothers, 
the  red  men  would  have  been  brothers  always  to 
them." 

"  The  words  of  Tecumseh  are  true;  the  white 
people  who  came  here  many  moons  ago  did  evil ;  I 
am  sorry,  but  what  has  been  done  cannot  be  helped  ; 
I  cannot  act  for  them  nor  undo  the  evil  deeds  of  my 
ancestors." 

"  But  my  brother  can  help  undo  the  evil  deeds  of 
his  friends." 

'  *  I  am  the  servant  of  the  great  Father  at  Wash- 
ington; I  must  obey  his  will." 

"  Must  my  brother  obey  it  if  it  is  evil  ? " 

"  I  do  not  admit  that  it  is  evil;  we  are  taught  to 
love  our  country,  and  to  give  up  our  lives  in  its  de- 
fence. ' ' 

"  And  that  is  the  law  which  Tecumseh  teaches 
his  people,  but  he  is  right,  and  his  white  brother  is 
wrong. ' ' 

General  Harrison  saw  that  it  was  a  waste  of  time 
to  argue  the  question  that  had  been  argued  more 
than  once  before.  Tecumseh  had  held  for  years  the 
views  that  he  expressed,  and  no  one  could  change 
them.  The  General  knew  it  when  he  asked  for  this 
interview,  and  his  words  were  meant  to  introduce 
that  which  followed.  He  spoke  with  great  impres- 
siveness : 

"  It  looks  as  if  my  people  will  soon  go  to  war 


riVO  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES.  57 

with  the  Englishmen  from  across  the  ocean ;  they 
will  come  over  here  to  fight  us ;  they  will  meet  on 
the  hunting-grounds  of  the  red  men,  who  must  take 
part  with  one  side  or  the  other.  I  hope  that  the 
great  Tecumseh  and  his  brave  warriors  will  fight  on 
the  side  of  the  Americans,  and  not  on  that  of  the 
English." 

"  It  rests  with  the  Americans,"  was  the  quiet  re- 
sponse. 

"  We  shall  treat  the  red  men  right " 

"  My  brother  has  refused  to  do  so." 

"  How  can  the  Englishmen  treat  the  Indians 
better?" 

"  They  will  give  us  our  land ;  they  are  a  powerful 
people ;  the  red  men  alone  cannot  drive  away  the 
Americans,  but  with  the  help  of  the  EngHsh  they 
can." 

"  The  EngHsh  tried  to  do  that  when  you  and  I 
were  small  children,  but  they  failed." 

"  Because  they  had  not  the  Indians  to  give  them 
help,  as  they  will  now." 

"  The  Indians  did  a  good  deal  for  them,  but  there 
were  fewer  Americans  then  than  there  are  to-day." 

"  And  so,"  said  Tecumseh,  significantly,  "  there 
must  have  been  fewer  Englishmen  in  the  days  of 
which  my  brother  speaks,  for  the  Great  Spirit  does 
not  allow  some  of  his  children  to  grow  while  others 
fade  away.     There  are  more  Indians  now,  and," 


58        TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

added  the  chieftain,  earnestly,  "  all  of  them  will 
fight  against  the  Americans." 

"  Very  likely,  but  it  will  be  because  Tccumseh 
persuades  them  by  the  might  of  his  eloquence  to  do 
so."  '  ■ 

"  Tecumseh  will  do  all  he  can  to  rally  the  warriors 
of  every  tribe." 

"  Well,"  said  General  Harrison,  straightening  up 
from  his  half-reclining  position,  as  if  about  to  bring 
the  interview  to  an  end,  "  you  and  I  will  s'  on  be 
arrayed  against  each  other;  it  is  idle  for  us  to  talk, 
for  we  can  never  agree  in  our  views,  but,  Tecum- 
seh, you  have  not  forgotten  the  promise  you  once 
made  nie  ?  " 

The  chief  looked  fixedly  at  him. 

"  Tecumseh  never  forgets  or  breaks  a  promise, 
but  he  has  made  many. ' ' 

"  I  allude  to  your  pledge  that  you  will  not  allow 
any  of  our  people  who  may  fall  into  your  hands  to 
be  tortured,  nor  use  any  cruelty  toward  our  women 
and  children." 

The  chieftain  had  risen  to  his  feet  and  drew  him- 
self up  haughtily. 

"  Tecumseh  never  tortured  a  prisoner  nor  treated 
a  woman  with  disrespect ;  since  the  setting  of  yon- 
der sun,  he  has  set  free  two  children  that  the  In- 
dians were  about  to  tie  to  the  tree  and  burn  to 
death.     The  wishes  of  Tecumseh  arc  known,  and 


TfVO  FRIENDS  AND  ENEMIES.  59 

should  he  find  that  any  warrior  has  dared  to  violate 
them,  Tecumseh  will  kill  him!  " 

General  Harrison  impulsively  extended  his  hand. 

"  Would  that  all  your  people  were  as  high- 
minded  as  you !  Tecumseh,  I  respect  and  admire 
you ;  should  it  iall  to  mj.  lot  during  the  war  that  is 
near  to  become  a  prisoner,  I  ask  no  better  fate  than 
that  you  shall  be  vay  captor.  Should  the  fortunes 
of  war  turn  against  you,  as  they  surely  will,  remem- 
ber that  the  one  friend  who  will  stand  by  you  to  the 
death  is — myself.  Good-by,  my  enemy  and  yet  my 
friend." 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  WORK   OF  A  GENIUS. 

THE  threat  which  Tecumseh  made  to  General 
Harrison  was  no  idle  one.  He  foresaw  as 
clearly  as  the  Governor  that  a  great  war  was  im- 
pending between  England  and  the  American  colo- 
nies, and  that  of  necessity  it  must  involve  his  own 
race.  It  was  not  unreasonable  on  his  part  to  be- 
lieve that  the  Indians  would  hold  the  "  balance  of 
power,"  and  that  whichever  side  secured  their  aid 
would  win. 

This  remarkable  man  had  proven  in  previous  con- 
versations with  General  Harrison,  for  whom  he  felt 
an  undisguised  liking,  that  he  was  familiar  with  the 
leading  facts  in  the  history  of  the  United  States  as 
well  as  of  his  own  people.  When  the  Governor  spoke 
of  the  victory  of  the  young  struggling  nation  in  its 
war  for  independence,  Tecumseh  reminded  him  that 
it  took  seven  yearr  to  gain  that  victory,  and  that  it 
would  not  have  been  gained  at  all  but  for  the  help 
of  France,  whose  sons  were  as  numerous  and  brave 
as  those  of  England.  France  would  not  come  to 
the  help  of  the  Americans  the  next  time,  and  the 

60 


THE    WORK  OF  A   GENIUS.  6l 

Shawanoe,  with  some  contempt  of  manner,  ex- 
pressed the  beUef  that  England  would  vanquish  the 
Americans,  who  were  so  fond  of  boasting  of  their 
prowess:  with  the  help  of  the  Indians  they  could 
not  fail  to  do  so,  especially  if  all  the  tribes  in  the 
West  united  to  help  the  English. 

Tecumseh  was  sagacious.  The  legends  of  King 
Philip  and  of  Pontiac  had  come  down  to  him. 
Philip  would  have  succeeded,  as  he  viewed  it,  had 
he  been  able  to  unite  the  New  England  tribes 
against  the  white  settlers,  but  he  failed  to  effect 
such  union,  some  of  the  most  powerful  remaining 
outside  of  the  confederation. 

The  same  lack  of  ability  to  organize  manifested 
itself  in  the  case  of  Pontiac.  He  brought  many  of 
the  tribes  together  and  captured  a  number  of  posts, 
but  some  of  his  most  ardent  supporters  feM  away 
from  him,  while  still  pressing  the  siege  of  Detroit. 
To  ensure  success,  therefore,  Tecumseh  felt  he  must 
win  all  of  the  leading  tribes. 

It  was  only  one  of  the  many  proofs  of  the  great- 
ness of  this  Shawanoe  leader,  that  he  first  made 
overtures  to  the  Americans.  He  and  his  people 
felt  a  natural  hatred  of  our  fathers  because  they 
were  the  actual  occupants  of  the  hunting-grounds 
over  which  the  dispute  occurred.  Naturally,  they 
longed  to  oust  them,  even  if  the  English  became 
their  successors.     And  yet  it  would  be  preferable  to 


62       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SI/A  WANOES. 

allow  the  Americans  to  remain  and  to  preserve  peace 
with  them.  Governor  Harrison  would  have  been 
happy  to  preserve  such  peace,  but  it  has  been  shown 
that  the  task  was  impossible,  since  the  only  terms 
proposed  by  Tecumseh  were  inadmissible. 

And  now  Tecumseh  the  Shawanoe  performed  a 
task  the  equal  of  which  has  rarely  or  never  been 
seen,  and  which  was  one  of  the  most  marvellous 
triumphs  of  genius  recorded  in  history.  He  set  out 
to  win  all  the  Western  and  some  of  the  Southern 
tribes  to  his  help  in  combating  the  Americans. 
From  tribe  to  tribe  he  hurried,  and,  calling  the 
chiefs  together,  addressed  them  in  burning  sen- 
tences that  were  resistless.  No  one  was  able  to 
withstand  his  eloquence,  which  swept  the  most 
stolid  of  listeners  off  their  feet.  He  had  to  encoun- 
ter not  only  indifference,  but  pronounced  opposi- 
tion, but  he  conquered  in  every  case.  It  is  a 
historical  fact  that  not  once  did  he  fail  to  carry  his 
listeners  with  him,  and  we  repeat  that  the  magnifi- 
cent achievement  has  never  been  surpassed. 

We  remember  a  talk  years  ago  with  an  aged 
physician  of  St.  Louis,  who  was  an  old  friend  of 
Tecumseh.  He  said  that  never  before  nor  since 
had  he  heard  so  wonderful  a  voice.  It  was  not 
only  musical,  but  had  a  peculiar  resonance  which 
seemed  to  fill  and  vibrate  through  the  air.  He 
compared  it  to  the  reverberations  heard  when  one 


THE  work:  of  a  genius.  63 

thrusts  his  head  into  a  hogshead  and  shouts  in  his 
loudest  tones. 

Still  more  extraordinary  is  another  .act  which 
rests  upon  good  authority.  Tecumseh  was  dissatis- 
fied with  the  coldness  of  the  Creeks.  He  won  them 
over,  but  lost  patience  because  of  the  time  required. 
Finally  he  called  out : 

"  When  I  get  back  home  I  will  stamp  the  ground 
and  it  shall  shake." 

The  superstitious  Indians  were  awed  by  this 
threat,  which  doubtless  had  considerable  to  do  with 
making  allies  of  them.  Having  accomplished  his 
mission,  Tecumseh  set  out  to  rejoin  his  own  people. 
Thq  Creeks  knew  the  time  it  would  take  him  to 
make  the  journey,  and  on  the  very  day  fixed  for  his 
arrival  the  West  was  rocked  by  the  most  notable 
earthquake  in  its  history,  that  of  181 1,  the  cause  of 
the  "  New  Madrid  claims,"  on  account  of  the 
sunken  lands,  for  whose  owners  Congress  made 
provision. 

When  the  Creeks  felt  the  ground  swaying  under 
their  feet  and  saw  their  frail  lodges  tumbling  about 
their  ears,  they  ran  outside  in  terror,  shouting: 

"  Tecumseh  has  got  home!  Tecumseh  has  got 
home!" 

Before  starting  on  his  journey,  the  chieftain  com- 
pleted his  organization  of  the  tribes  at  home.  The 
Prophet  gave  him  much  help  in  this,  for  he  was 


64       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOEB. 

looked  upon  with  great  consideration  and  awe,  on 
account  of  his  pretensions  to  supernatural  powers. 
He  was  left  as  the  representative  of  his  brother, 
who  forbade  him  to  make  any  important  movement 
during  his  absence.  The  Prophet's  mission  was  to 
pass  from  town  to  town,  and  by  his  mummeries 
keep  the  various  tribes  keyed  to  the  proper  pitch, 
so  that  they  would  be  ready  to  rush  to  battle  "  as 
to  a  festival,"  when  the  command  was  given  by 
Trcumseh  himself. 

But  The  Prophet,  like  many  a  man  before  and 
since,  made  a  mistake.  Noting  the  eagerness  of 
the  different  warriors,  he  was  certain  that  he  had 
but  to  sound  the  tocsin  to  overwhelm  the  Ameri- 
cans. Continual  skirmishing  was  going  on ;  the  In- 
dians attacked  exposed  settlements,  flatboats,  and 
even  blockhouses,  though  no  important  movement 
had  taken  place,  when  the  news  reached  the  tribes 
that  General  Harrison,  at  the  head  of  a  strong  force, 
was  marching  into  the  country  with  the  intention  of 
punishing  the  Indians  for  the  many  outrages  they 
had  committed. 

These  rumors  were  based  upon  fact.  Harrison 
saw  that  to  dally  longer  would  be  accepted  as  evi- 
dence of  timidity  and  weakness  by  the  savages,  and 
encourage  them  in  their  raids.  He  knew  the  work 
Tecumseh  was  doing,  and  knew  too  that  the  only 
way  to  checkmate  him  was  by  striking  an  effective 


THE    WORK  OF  A   GENIUS.  6$ 

blow  before  the  Shawanoe  could  bring  the  different 
tribes  together  into  a  compact  organization. 

Harrison  had  no  more  than  fairly  entered  the  In- 
dian country  on  his  way  to  the  region  near  the 
headwaters  of  the  Wabash,  when  the  woods  seemed 
literally  to  swarm  with  warriors,  who  appeared  to 
leap  from  the  ground.  They  were  on  the  alert  for 
an  opening  through  which  to  attack  him,  and  had 
he  relaxed  his  vigilance  for  a  single  hour  his  com- 
mand would  have  suffered  massacre,  like  the  expedi- 
tions of  Crawford  and  St.  Clair,  twenty  years  or 
more  before. 

But  the  advance  of  Harrison  was  similar  to  that 
of  General  Wayne  in  1794.  He  kept  his  scouts 
out,  went  into  camp  every  day  before  dusk,  never 
neglected  to  fortify  his  position,  and,  in  short, 
adopted  every  precaution  that  would  occur  to  a 
soldier  who  was  a  master  of  Indian  warfare. 

The  Prophet  grew  uneasy  over  this  advance.  If 
it  continued,  it  was  sure  to  bring  much  harm  to  his 
people.  Naturally  his  first  attempt  to  turn  it  back 
was  by  diplomacy,  which  is  generally  another  name 
for  deceit  and  treachery.  The  leading  chiefs  who 
called  upon  General  Harrison  insisted  that  they  were 
the  friends  of  the  white  men— that  it  was  evil  red 
men  who  had  done  the  bad  things  that  had  reached 
the  ears  of  their  great  and  good  brother,  and  they 
hoped  he  would  not  frighten  their  women  and  chil- 


66       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

dren  by  penetrating  farther  into  their  country.  But 
whether  he  did  or  not,  they  wished  him  to  know 
that  they  were  the  friends  of  himself  and  soldiers, 
and  nothing  could  induce  them  to  harm  a  hair  of 
their  heads. 

The  General  listened  to  these  avowals,  which  were 
the  most  earnest  when  he  was  near  Tippecanoe,  and 
gave  orders  for  his  men  to  sleep  that  night  on  their 
arms.  He  knew  what  was  likely  to  follow  such 
fervent  declarations,  and  did  not  mean  to  be  caught 
unprepared. 

Long  before  it  was  light,  on  that  chilly  morning 
in  November,  1811,  the  Indians  fell  upon  the  Amer- 
ican force  with  irrestrainable  fury.  So  fierce  indeed 
was  their  attack  that  at  first  the  soldiers  were  forced 
back;  but  they  were  not  only  under  the  leadership 
of  brave  and  skilled  oflficers,  but  they  knew  the 
stake  for  which  they  were  fighting,  and  after  inflict- 
ing great  loss  upon  their  assailants  and  suffering 
severely  themselves,  they  scattered  the  Indians  like 
so  much  chaff  in  a  gale. 

While  this  battle  was  raging.  The  Prophet  stood 
on  a  hill  near  by,  going  through  his  incantations, 
and  shouting  that  it  was  impossible  for  his  warriors 
to  be  defeated.  Even  when  everything  got  askew 
and  the  warriors  were  falling  like  tenpins,  he  danced 
and  shrieked  for  them  to  hold  their  ground,  for  the 
Great    Spirit   would  soon   give   them   the   victory. 


THE    WORK  OF  A   GENIUS.  67 

When  The  Prophet  had  to  take  to  flight  to  save  his 
own  bacon,  he  must  have  felt  some  doubt  about  his 
ability  as  an  organizer  of  success. 

It  may  be  noted  that  it  was  this  triumph  which 
made  William  Henry  Harrison  President  of  the 
United  States,  some  thirty  years  later,  and  gave 
him  a  name  by  which  he  will  always  be  remembered 
by  his  admiring  countrymen. 

It  will  be  recalled  that  Tecumseh  was  absent 
when  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe  took  place,  and  but 
for  his  absence  it  could  not  have  occurred.  When 
he  reached  home,  and  learned  how  his  commands 
had  been  disregarded  by  his  brother,  his  rage  passed 
all  bounds.  His  first  impulse  was  to  slay  him,  but 
he  changed  his  mind.  The  Prophet  was  already  in 
disgrace  among  his  countrymen,  and  was  never  able 
fully  to  regain  the  ground  he  had  lost.  When 
Tecumseh  caught  sight  of  him,  he  seized  him  by 
his  long  hair  and  shook  his  head  until  it  seemed  as 
if  the  miserable  wretch's  teeth  would  fly  out.  As 
for  Tecumseh  himself,  he  saw  that  the  irrevocable 
step  had  been  taken,  and  he  plunged  without  res- 
ervation into  the  war  which  was  declared  between 
Great  Britain  and  the  colonies  in  the  following  June. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

THE   HOME  IN  THE  FOREST. 

GEORGE  HARDIN  and  Ben  Mayberry  had 
every  cause  to  congratulate  themselves  and 
to  be  thankful  for  their  rescue  from  the  Shawanoes, 
when  they  were  on  the  point  of  beginning  prepara- 
tions for  subjecting  their  prisoners  to  torture. 
Under  Heaven  they  owed  their  lives  to  Tecumseh, 
who,  history  records,  interfered  in  more  than  one 
similar  case. 

It  was  impossible  for  a  time  for  the  youths  to 
realize  the  amazing  change  of  situation.  When 
directed  to  leave  by  the  chieftain,  they  did  so  with  a 
promptness  that  could  not  have  been  improved.  It 
was  hard  indeed  to  keep  from  breaking  into  a  run, 
and  giving  expression  to  their  feelings  by  shouts, 
but  they  were  trained  in  the  school  of  self-restraint, 
and  contented  themselves  with  silently  grasping 
hands,  as  they  hastened  through  the  forest  side  by 
side.  Not  until  they  felt  themselves  fairly  safe  did 
they  slacken  their  pace  and  venture  to  speak. 

"  George,"  said  the  young  Kentuckian,  "  I  've 

68 


THE  HOME  IN   THE  FOREST.  69 

sometimes  had  my  doubts  about  Tecumseh  being  a 
genuine  Indian." 

"  Why?" 

"  He  does  n't  act  like  one;  what  was  his  reason 
for  setting  us  free  ?  ' ' 

"  I  suppose  it  was  because  of  pity  for  us." 

"  I  shall  never  cease  to  feel  grateful  to  him,  but  I 
wish  he  had  n't  half  spoiled  it  by  the  insult  he 
added." 

His  companion  looked  at  him  in  surprise. 

"  I  don't  understand  you." 

"  Don't  you  remember  he  called  us  children,  and 
told  us  we  had  no  business  to  be  abroad  in  the 
woods  when  the  Indians  were  on  the  war-path  ?  " 

"  That  was  rather  rough;  I  wonder  whether  he 
would  have  befriended  us  if  we  had  been  half  a 
head  taller  and  a  few  years  older  ?  " 

"  I  think  he  would;  Simon  Kenton  says  Tecum- 
seh acts  like  a  white  man  when  fighting ;  he  might 
have  kept  us  prisoners,  but  so  long  as  he  was 
around,  he  would  n't  have  let  any  of  his  warriors 
hurt  us.  Take  him  all  in  all,  he  's  a  pretty  good 
sort  of  a  fellow." 

"  We  must  n't  forget  another  thing;  he  gave  us 
to  understand  that  if  we  did  n't  take  his  advice  and 
keep  out  of  danger,  he  would  n't  befriend  us  again. 
What  do  you  think  would  happen  if  we  fell  into  his 
hands  once  more  ?  " 


•JO       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

The  boys  were  thoughtful  for  a  few  minutes  as 
they  walked  forward,  and  it  was  Ben  Mayberry  who 
spoke : 

"  Don't  forget  that  we  have  to  pass  by  our  home 
to  reach  the  blockhouse,  and  I  am  bound  to  have 
a  look  at  the  cabin." 

"  It  can't  be  very  far  away." 

"  We  are  in  the  path,"  said  Ben,  nodding  his 
head  with  a  glance  at  the  ground ;  "  you  have  been 
over  the  trail  often  enough  to  remember  it." 

"  I  do,  but  nis  flurry  with  the  Shawanoes  has 
muddled  my  brain;  it  seems  like  a  dream  to  me. 
I  tell  you,  Ben,  there  was  n't  a  particle  of  hope  left 
in  me;  I  had  figured  it  all  over  in  my  mind  and 
could  n't  catch  the  first  glimmer.  There  must  have 
been  more  than  two  hundred  warriors,  ail  painted, 
armed,  and  eager  to  fight;  there  are  not  a  fifth  as 
many  of  our  friends  at  the  blockhouse,  and  if  they 
had  all  hurried  through  the  w  )ods,  they  could  n't 
have  rescued  us."  ; 

"  And  if  there  had  been  five  hundred  of  them, 
they  could  n't  have  got  to  the  place,  even  if  they  had 
known  what  a  scrape  we  were  in,  in  time  to  help. 
But  what  's  the  use  of  talking  or  thinking  about  it  ?  " 

"  I  can't  help  it." 

"  You  can  help  talking;  wait  till  you  get  home, 
and  then  when  your  father  begins  to  spin  his  yarns, 
why  you  can  strike  in  with  yours." 


THE  HOME  IN   THE  FOREST.  7 1 

The  foot-path  compelled  the  boys  to  travel  as  they 
had  been  doing  most  of  the  time — that  is,  with  Ben 
in  advance.  In  many  places  the  branches  so  over- 
hung the  trail  that  they  were  obliged  to  shove  them 
aside  or  duck  their  heads  to  keep  the  limbs  from 
catching  them  under  their  chins  and  almost  lifting 
them  off  their  feet. 

Although  neither  referred  to  it,  there  was  one 
misgiving  in  the  minds  of  each  of  the  lads.  It  had 
been  established  that  no  warrior,  no  matter  what  his 
tribe,  dared  offer  indignity  to  a  prisoner  in  the 
presence  of  Tecumseh,  but  what  was  to  hinder  one 
or  two  or  more  of  them  from  stealing  away  from 
the  clearing,  without  its  being  noticed  by  the  chief- 
tain, and,  f<  llowing  the  couple  until  at  a  safe  dis- 
tance, shoot  ihem  down  ?  True,  there  might  be 
risk  in  such  a  deed,  and  the  guilty  ones  would  fare 
ill  ii  the  truth  ever  came  to  the  ears  of  the  terrible 
Shawanoe. 

Furthermore,  the  experience  of  George  and  Ben 
had  impressed  the  significant  truth  upon  them  that 
in  thoae  days  there  were  perils  on  every  hand,  from 
the  side,  and  the  front,  as  well  as  the  rear.  Ac- 
cordingly, while  Ben  peered  ahead  and  listened, 
George  continually  glanced  behind  him,  and  both 
exercised  all  the  vigilance  of  which  they  were  capa- 
ble. Occasionally,  the  Kentuckian  paused  in  his 
advance,  and  his  comrade  instantly  did  the  same, 


72       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

while  each  listened  until  certain  there  was  no  cause 
for  alarm,  when  they  resumed  their  course  with  the 
same  care  as  before.  It  would  seem  as  if  the  late 
mishap  could  not  be  repeated  with  them. 

Moving  forward  in  this  cautious  manner,  the 
young  friends  reached  the  home  of  Ben  Mayberry. 
The  distinctly  marked  path  over  which  they  were 
making  tl^'^lr  way  ended  in  a  clearing,  nearly  two 
acres  in  extent,  in  the  middle  of  which  stood  the 
log  cabin  that  had  been  erected  by  the  pioneer, 
James  Mayberry,  some  three  or  four  years  before. 
It  was  one  of  those  substantial  structures  of  logs, 
dovetailed  at  the  corners,  and  built  more  for 
strength  and  comfort  than  for  appearance.  The 
lower  floor  consisted  of  two  rooms,  while  the  half- 
floor  above  was  reached  by  means  of  a  sloping 
ladder  at  one  corner.  One  of  the  upper  rooms  was 
occupied  as  a  sleeping  apartment  by  his  parents, 
while  the  other  belonged  to  the  son,  who  was  an 
only  child.  The  larger  apartment  on  the  iower  floor 
was  the  living-room,  the  smaller  one  adjoining  being 
available  for  sleeping  quarters  for  visitors,  of  whom 
there  were  more  than  would  be  supposed,  where  the 
white  population  was  so  sparse.  The  latch-stiing 
was  always  out,  and  no  visitor  ever  applied  at  those 
CcTly  homes  who  was  not  made  welcome. 

There  was  but  the  single  door  downstairs,  front- 
ing the  path  over  which  the  lads  were  approaching 


THE  HOME  IN   THE  FOREST.  73 

when  they  first  caught  sight  of  the  structure.  On 
either  side  of  tht  door  was  a  window,  with  a  single 
one  at  the  rear,  all  so  narrow  that  a  small  boy  could 
not  have  forced  his  body  through.  Instead  of  glass 
panes,  oiled  paper,  as  in  the  colonial  times,  ad- 
mitted the  light.  In  case  of  attack,  the  occupants 
could  use  these  openings  for  loopholes,  and  there 
were  few  pioneer  homes  in  which  they  had  not 
served  such  a  purpose.  Twice  during  James  May- 
berry's  residence  in  his  primitive  dwelling  he  had 
beaten  off  a  small  party  of  Indians  who  sought  to 
catch  him  unawares. 

A  few  rods  from  the  house  was  another  log  struc- 
ture, which  served  as  a  barn,  and  sheltered  the 
single  cow  and  horse  at  night,  or  when  the  storm 
raged.  These  were  the  only  domestic  animals  be- 
longing to  the  place,  but  a  number  of  fowls  were 
scratching  the  soil,  hunting  as  industriously  for  food 
as  if  nothing  had  occurred  to  interrupt  the  usual 
order  of  things.  When  the  owner  set  out  for  the 
blockhouse  with  his  wife,  he  took  the  horse  and 
cow  with  him,  so  that  the  chickens  were  all  the 
signs  of  life  that  greeted  the  youths  as  they  silently 
emerged  from  the  forest  and  paused  with  wondering 
curiosity,  uncertain  whether  to  approach  nearer 
without  first  reconnoitring  the  dwelling. 

The  sturdy  pioneer  had  cleared  the  area  of  land, 
upon  which  he  had  p'.anted  Indian  corn,  potatoes, 


74       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

and  other  garden  vegetables.  The  fertile  soil  an- 
swered his  efforts  with  a  bountiful  crop,  part  of 
which  was  stowed  in  the  barn  and  a  portion  within 
the  house  itself.  It  was  so  late  in  the  season  that 
all  of  the  harvest  had  been  gathered,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  several  rows  of  corn  that  were  left  stand- 
ing, though  the  ears  had  been  plucked  from  most  of 
them.  These  were  brown  and  dried,  and  it  cannot  be 
said  that  they  contributed  any  beauty  to  the  scene. 

It  had  been  the  plan  of  Mayberry  to  add  contin- 
ually to  his  area  of  cleared  land.  From  most  of  it 
the  stumps  had  been  torn  away,  but  at  the  farther 
end  a  number  of  the  unsightly  objects  remained,  for 
ht  had  not  completed  the  work  when  compelled  to 
abandon  it  by  the  sudden  appearance  of  danger.  If 
undisturbed,  the  task  would  be  finished  when  he  re- 
turned, in  time  for  the  additional  culture  during  the 
coming  spring. 

It  was  hard  in  looking  upon  this  scene,  with 
scarcely  an  appearance  of  life,  to  believe  that  any- 
thing in  the  nature  of  personal  danger  impended. 
There  was  no  sign  of  disturbance,  nor  any  evidence 
that  hostile  visitors  had  been  near  since  the  depart- 
ure of  the  youth  that  morning  to  meet  his  friend. 
So  far  as  could  be  seen,  neither  of  the  buildings  had 
suffered  harm.  In  truth,  the  indications  were  that 
the  advance  before  which  the  husband  and  wife  fled 
had  not   yet   been   made.      The   Shawanoes  were 


THE  HOME  IN   THE  FOREST.  75 

likely  to  come  at  any  moment,  but  it  looked  as  if 
they  had  failed  as  yet  to  put  in  an  appearance. 

Such  would  have  been  the  conclusion  of  the  two 
youths,  who  halted  on  the  edge  of  the  clearing, 
taking  care  to  stand  far  enough  back  among  the 
trees  to  escape  being  seen  by  any  prowlers  who 
might  be  within  on  the  watch,  except  for  a  single 
discovery  that  was  made  by  both  at  the  same  mo- 
ment: the  door  of  the  cabin,  instead  of  being 
closed,  was  partly  open. 

It  may  seem  strange  that  this  should  have  caused 
any  misgiving,  and,  but  for  the  son's  familiarity 
with  the  habits  of  his  father,  he  would  have  at- 
tached no  importance  to  it,  but  he  spoke  the  truth 
when  he  said : 

Father  would  have  left  the  latch-string  out,  for 
he  would  have  to  do  it,  so  as  to  get  in  himself  or 
allow  me  to  get  in,  but  he  never  would  have  left  the 
door  open." 

"  You  know  he  and  your  mother  went  away  in 
great  haste,"  suggested  Hardin,  viith  little  faith  in 
his  own  explanation. 

"  He  couldn't  have  left  in  such  haste  as  to  forget 
to  latch  the  door." 

"  What,  then,  do  you  make  of  it  ? " 

"  The  Indians  have  been  there." 

"  But  would  they  have  gone  away  without  de- 
stroying the  cabin  ?  " 


76       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

"  We  don't  know  that  they  have  gone  away — 
/tark/"  '*^" 

Each  instinctively  sheltered  himself  behind  the 
trunk  of  the  nearest  tree,  and,  with  their  eyes  fixed 
on  the  front  of  the  cabin,  intently  listened.  Ben 
had  not  heard  anything  to  alarm  him,  but  he  ex- 
pected to  hear  it  in  the  course  of  a  few  minutes. 
The  silence,  however,  remained  unbroken,  though 
very  soon  they  observed  something  that  deepened 
their  misgivings.     Ben  whispered : 

* '  T/ie  door  moved  !  ' ' 

"  I  saw  it ;  it  was  drawn  back  a  few  inches ;  would 
it  do  that  of  itself  ?  " 

"  It  might,  for  I  have  known  it  to  swing  when 
left  partly  open,  but  I  believe  some  one  moved  it 
just  now.  I  tell  you,  George,  there  are  Indians  in 
there!" 

"  It  looks  that  way,  and  it  makes  onr  position 
ticklish ;  is  it  best  for  us  to  stay  here  ?  " 

"  It  may  not  be  wise,  but  I  don't  know  of  any 
safer  place  just  now.  They  are  not  expecting  us, 
and  are  not  on  the  watch ;  we  are  so  far  back  among 
the  trees  that  they  can't  see  us  when  they  come  out 
the  door." 

"  Unless  they  come  toward  us." 

"  That  need  make  no  difference,  for,  if  they  do 
that,  they  '11  stick  to  the  path,  and  these  trees  will 
screen  us.     I  don't  want  to  leave  this  spot  till  I 


THE  HOME  IN   THE  FOREST.  7/ 

know  whether  any  Shawanoes  are  in  there,  and  if  so 
what  they  are  doing." 

The  feeling  was  natural  on  the  part  of  the  young 
Kentuckian,  who  was  also  actuated  by  a  weak  hope 
that  perhaps  he  might  do  something  to  save  his 
home  from  destruction,  though  how  that  was  pos- 
sible was  more  than  he  would  have  been  able  to  ex- 
plain had  his  companion  asked  for  enlightenment. 
Hardin  could  not  refuse  to  bear  him  company, 
though  it  was  the  second  time  that  day  that  his 
comrade  had  done  a  thirg  whose  wisdom  he  con- 
demned. Standing  erect,  therefore,  with  their 
bodies  carefully  screened  behind  the  massive  tree 
trunks,  they  scarcely  removed  their  eyes  from  the 
puncheon  door,  through  which,  if  any  enlighten- 
ment appeared,  it  must  present  itself.     • 

And  while  standing  in  this  attitude  of  close  atten- 
tion, with  their  gaze  centred  on  the  door,  a  variation 
of  opinion  suddenly  arose  between  them. 

"  Sh!  did  you  see  that  ?"  whispered  Ben,  ex- 
citedly. 

"  See  what  ?  "  asked  his  companion. 

"  The  head  of  that  warrior. " 

"  I  saw  nothing  of  him,  and  don't  think  you  did." 

"  I  know  I  did ;  he  peeped  around  the  edge  of  the 
door  and  then  drew  back  his  head." 

"  I  had  my  eyes  on  the  door,  and  would  have 
seen  him  had  he  done  anything  like  that." 


78       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

"  I  know  I  saw  him,"  was  the  emphatic  remark  of 
the  Kentuckian. 

But  Hardin  was  not  convinced.  He  believed  that 
the  agitation  of  his  friend  had  made  his  imagination 
deceive  him.     He  asked  the  pertinent  question : 

"  Why  should  a  Shawanoe  act  that  way  ?  If  he 
wanted  to  look  out,  he  would  look  out  without  try- 
ing to  prevent  any  one  seeing  him." 

"  You  talk  as  if  you  did  not  believe  any  Indians 
were  in  the  house." 

"  I  don't." 

"  Hold  on  a  bit,  and  we  shall  know  of  a  cer- 
tainty. ' 

Ben  was  right,  for  within  less  than  five  minutes 
he  whispered  more  excitedly  than  before: 

"  What  do  you  say  to  t/iat  f  " 

"  You  a''e  right,  Ben  !  The  Indians  are  there  sure 
enough! "  V 


CHAPTER   VII. 

STIRRING  WORK. 


"IXTHILE  the  two  boys  were  gazing  upon  the 
V  V  partly  open  door,  it  was  drawn  farther  in- 
ward  and  a  Shawanoe  warrior  in  his  war-paint 
stepped  forth.  He  was  immediately  followed  by  a 
second  and  third,  each  holding  a  long  rifle  in  his 
hand,  with  the  usual  knife  and  tomahawk  at  his 
girdle. 

The  first  thought  of  the  youths  was  that  the  three 
Indians  had  started  to  enter  the  path  directly  in 
front  of  the  place  where  the  couple  were  hiding 
themselves  from  view;  but  the  leader  had  taken 
only  two  or  three  steps,  when  he  changed  the 
course  he  was  following,  and  took  the  opposite 
direction  by  walking  alongside  the  cabin  and  across 
the  clearing  toward  the  wood  beyond. 

The  action  of  the  red  men  was  singular  from  the 
first.  They  came  out  as  stealthily  as  so  many  boys 
in  fear  of  being  detected  in  mischief,  and  walked  in 
perfect  silence  until  close  to  the  primitive  barn 
which  has  already  been  referred  to.  There  the 
leader  paused,  and,  turning  his  head,  talked  for  a 


80       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

minute  or  two  with  his  companions.  Evidently  the 
barn  was  the  subject  of  the  discussion,  and  doubtless 
the  conclusion  of  the  boys  was  right :  they  were 
considering  the  question  of  setting  fire  to  it.  If  so, 
they  decided  in  the  negative,  for  they  resumed  their 
approach  to  the  wood  without  any  further  turning 
aside. 

"  Let  's  keep  an  eye  on  them,"  whispered  Ben, 
cautiously  shifting  his  position  and  stealing  in  the 
direction  taken  by  the  warriors,  from  whom  he  took 
care  to  screen  himself.  Hardin  imitated  him, 
though  the  action  was  dangerous  for  both,  but  be- 
fore they  had  passed  beyond  sight  of  the  front  of 
the  cabin,  Hardin  exclaimed : 

' '  Gracious,  Ben !  They  have  set  fire  to  your 
house!" 

The  cause  of  this  exclamation  was  the  sight  of 
thick  blue  smoke  issuing  from  the  front  door. 

"  Sure  enough !  I  '11  try  to  put  it  out ;  keep  watch 
and  signal  to  me  if  there  is  any  danger  from  them." 

And  before  Hardin  could  protest,  the  young 
Kentuckian  bounded  silently  out  from  among  the 
trees  and  ran  toward  the  front  door.  A  few  paces 
enabled  him  to  intrude  the  cabin  between  himself 
and  the  Shawanoes,  who,  as  a  consequence,  could 
see  nothing  of  him  if  they  looked  around. 

George  held  his  place  until  he  observed  his  friend 
disappear  Luniedly  through  the  door,  when  he  care- 


STIRLING    WORK,  8 1 

fully  advanced  under  cover  of  the  wood,  along  the 
side  of  the  clearing,  intending  to  follow  the  Sha- 
wanoes  for  a  short  distance,  though  why  he  should 
do  so  or  what  was  to  be  gained  by  such  a  course  it 
was  impossible  to  say. 

Taught  to  think  quickly  under  all  circumstances, 
Hardin  had  gone  but  a  little  way  when  he  stopped, 
convinced  that  this  was  the  true  thing  to  do. 

"  If  they  started  a  fire  inside  the  house,  they  will 
not  leave  till  they  are  sure  it  is  going  to  be  burned 
down." 

The  good  sense  of  this  decision  was  proven  al- 
most in  the  moment  that  it  Look  shape  in  the  mind 
of  the  youth.  From  where  he  stood,  the  three 
Shawanoes  were  in  plain  sight,  with  their  backs 
toward  him,  as  they  walked  in  Indian  file  in  the 
direction  of  the  wood  on  the  farther  side  of  the 
clearing,  but  at  the  moment  when  they  should  have 
disappeared,  all  three  paused  as  if  in  obedience  to  a 
military  command  and  faced  around.  Had  they 
done  this  a  brief  while  before,  they  must  have  de- 
tected Ben  Mayberry  making  for  the  front  of  the 
cabin. 

"  They  mean  to  make  certain  that  the  fire  will  do 
its  work." 

The  incendiaries  would  have  been  authorized  in 
believing  this  delay  unnecessary  on  their  part,  for 
the  smoke  now  plainly  showed  above  the  sloping 

6 


82       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

roof  of  slabs,  where  it  was  only  slightly  dissolved  in 
the  clear  autumn  air.  Beyond  question,  a  fire  was 
burning  below  the  roof,  which  ought  soon  to  burst 
into  flame. 

But  the  young  Kentuckian  was  vigorously  attend- 
ing to  business.  The  instant  he  pushed  back  the 
door  and  stepped  across  the  threshold,  he  saw  what 
had  been  done.  The  stone  chimney  of  his  home 
passed  above  the  roof  on  the  outside  of  the  building, 
the  broad  hearth  below  occupying  almost  the  entire 
side  of  the  lower  room.  The  smouldering  embers 
left  among  the  ashes  had  been  raked  into  the  middle 
of  the  floor,  some  loose  sticks  piled  on  top,  while 
the  few  split-bottom  chairs  and  stools  were  heaped 
in  turn  upon  them.  Thus  fed,  the  blaze  was  burn- 
ing strongly  and  with  increasing  strength.  If  not 
interfered  with,  nothing  could  save  the  building. 

But  Ben  Mayberry's  visit  was  for  the  purpose  of 
such  interference.  One  kick  sent  the  brands  flying 
in  every  direction,  but  as  they  continued  blazing 
there  was  still  danger  from  them.  Catching  up  one 
of  the  partially  burned  stools,  he  used  it  as  a  broom 
with  which  to  sweep  the  rest  into  the  fireplace, 
where  they  could  burn  themselves  out  without 
doing  damage. 

So  far  everything  had  gone  well.  The  house  was 
saved  for  the  time,  but  the  same  question  presented 
itself  to  him  that  engaged  the  thought  of  George 


STIRRING    WORK.  83 

Hardin :  would  the  Shawanoes  leave  the  neighbor- 
hood until  assured  of  the  thoroughness  of  their 
work  ? 

However,  there  was  nothing  more  for  him  to 
do,  and  he  therefore  did  the  most  indiscreet  thing 
imaginable. 

Emerging  from  the  front  door,  he  began  walking 
rapidly  across  the  clearing  toward  the  spot  where  he 
had  parted  from  his  companion,  whereas,  had  he 
continued  in  a  straight  line,  so  as  to  keep  the  cabin 
between  him  and  his  enemies,  nothing  amiss  could 
have  taken  place ;  but  he  walked  directly  into  the 
field  of  vision  of  the  Shawanoes,  who,  it  will  be  re- 
membered, had  halted  and  were  looking  back  to 
watch  the  progress  of  the  miniature  conflagration. 

Hardin  did  not  observe  the  imprudent  act  of  his 
friend  until  too  late,  for  his  attention  was  fixed 
upon  the  warriors.  Thus  it  came  about  that  the 
Shawanoes,  to  their  utter  amazement,  while  survey- 
ing the  log  structure  saw  a  sturdy  youth  emerge 
into  view  from  behind  it,  and  stride  toward  the 
edge  of  the  forest  just  as  he  must  have  done  many 
times  in  the  past  when  no  peril  impended  over  his 
house. 

Hardin  observed  him  at  the  same  moment  and 
called  out : 

"  Look  out,  Ben!    The  Indians  see  you!  " 

The  Kentuckian  glanced  in  the  direction  whence 


84       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES, 

the  Shawanoes  had  disappeared,  and  observed  that 
the  whole  three,  with  that  instant  action  which  is  a 
part  of  their  training,  were  coming  toward  him  on  a 
loping  trot.  They  had  emitted  no  cry,  but  must 
have  looked  upon  this  easy  capture  of  the  youth  as 
among  the  immediate  certainties.  Singular  as  it 
may  seem,  they  gave  no  evidence  of  having  heard 
the  warning  call  of  Hardin,  which  was  so  carefully 
guarded  that  it  barely  caught  the  ears  of  the  one  for 
whom  it  was  intended. 

George's  expectation  was  that  his  comrade  would 
break  into  a  run  and  join  him  without  delay,  but,  to 
his  astonishment,  he  turned  about  and  made  a  dash 
for  the  front  of  the  cabin.  Instead  of  passing 
through  the  door,  however,  he  put  into  execution 
an  exploit  that  would  have  done  credit  to  Simon 
Kenton  or  Daniel  Boone  himself. 

He  was  able  to  tell  to  a  second  when  his  enemies 
would  appear  in  front  of  the  house,  and  he  had 
plenty  of  time  in  which  to  fasten  the  door  against 
them.  Instead,  however,  of  darting  inside,  he 
stopped  on  the  threshold,  drew  the  latch-string 
through  the  orifice,  so  that  the  latch  could  not  be 
lifted  from  without,  and  then  pulled  the  door  shut. 
Thus  the  cabin  was  locked  and  both  boys  were  on 
the  outside. 

Calculating  with  the  coolness  of  a  veteran  the 
time  of  the  approach  of  the  dusky  trio,  Ben  May- 


STIRRING    WORK.  85 

berry  stepped  softly  around  the  farther  corner  of  the 
front  of  the  building.  It  will  be  perceived  that  his 
aim  was  to  give  the  impression  to  the  Indians  that 
he  had  entered  the  cabin  to  make  a  stand  against 
them,  whereas  he  was  elsewhere.  The  cleverness 
of  this  stratagem  could  not  have  been  surpassed, 
and  more  than  compensated  for  his  mistaken  wood- 
craft earlier  in  the  day. 

George  Hardin  could  hardly  repress  an  exclama- 
tion of  pleasure  when  he  comprehended  what  had 
been  done,  and  saw  his  companion  slip  from  sight  a 
moment  before  the  three  trotting  Shawanoes  came 
around  the  other  corner  of  the  cabin.  They  were 
completely  deceived  by  the  inimitable  trick. 

But  the  miscreants  could  not  be  ignorant  of  one 
fact :  a  Kentuckian,  even  if  a  boy,  will  fight,  and  it 
was  idle  to  waste  time  in  summoning  the  youth 
supposed  to  be  inside  to  surrender.  The  action  of 
the  warriors  si  owed  that  they  half-expected  a  shot 
through  one  of  the  narrow  windows,  for  they 
dodged  close  to  the  front  of  the  cabin  and  to  one 
side  where  they  were  out  of  range,  the  thickness  of 
the  walls  preventing  a  defender  from  deflecting  his 
rifle  sufficiently  for  a  good  aim. 

Perhaps  after  all  the  loneVuth  might  be  con. 
vinced  of  his  helplessness  and  induced  to  surrender. 
It  looked  as  if  one  of  the  warriors  held  that  view 
for  with  his  figure  bent  almost  double,  he  sneaked 


86       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

along  the  front  of  the  cabin,  until  he  stood  before 
the  door.  Then  he  straightened  up,  and,  drawing 
his  knife,  struck  the  handle  against  the  heavy  plank- 
ing with  a  resounding  whack  that  could  be  heard 
beyond  the  clearing. 

"  Howdy,  brudder  ?  Me  friend — lemme  come  in 
—no  hurt!  " 

This  summons  was  repeated  several  times,  when 
the  caller  bent  his  head  to  listen,  but  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  say  that  he  received  no  response.  He 
called  to  the  fellow  again,  but  soon  gave  it  up  as 
useless.  Then  he  placed  his  back  against  the  heavy 
door,  spread  his  moccasins  apart  and  pushed  with 
might  and  main.  The  doors  of  our  ancestors  were 
not  constructed  to  be  carried  easily  off  their  hinges, 
and  it  was  impossible  to  perceive  that  the  fellow 
made  any  impression. 

Then  the  Shawanoe  spoke  angrily  to  his  com- 
panions, who  were  grinning  at  his  failure,  and  they 
joined  in  the  effort  to  force  the  door  inward,  but 
had  there  been  room  for  half  a  dozen  more  to  help, 
the  massive  structure  would  have  withstood  their 
efforts. 

Their  resources  were  not  exhausted  by  any  means. 
The  warrior  who  had  acted  the  part  of  leader 
whipped  out  his  tomahawk,  and  began  chopping 
into  the  middle  of  the  planking.  This  if  continued 
long  would   make   an   opening,  though  it  was  no 


< 
'J 


u 

< 


STIUKING    work:  87 

small  task  to  effect  an  entrance  large  enough  to 
permit  the  passage  of  their  bodies. 

Bui:  the  savage  must  have  comprehended  the 
dangerous  nature  of  the  task  he  had  set  for  himself. 
The  glimpse  of  the  youthful  Kentuckian  showed 
that  he  had  carried  a  rifle  in  his  hand,  and,  standing 
in  the  middle  of  the  large  lower  room,  nothing  would 
be  easier  than  for  him  to  shoot  the  first  foe  that 
came  within  range,  without  the  slightest  exposure 
of  himself. 

It  therefore  came  about  that  before  the  self- 
appointed  task  was  half-completed,  the  Shawanoes 
stopped  for  consultation.  The  result  was  the  con- 
clusion that  they  had  made  a  mistake  Perhaps 
one  or  more  of  them  had  participated  in  a  former 
attack  upon  the  cabin  that  had  been  repulsed  by  the 
owner.  They  agreed  that  the  better  course  for 
them  was  to  wait  on  the  outside  until  the  youth 
was  driven  to  terms  or  until  they  could  bring  a 
force  that  would  leave  him  no  choice. 

It  was  natural  for  the  Shawanoes  to  believe  that 
the  lad  had  extinguished  the  fire,  so  that  nothing 
was  to  be  feared  from  that,  but  they  could  apply 
the  torch  from  without  and  speedily  reduce  the 
cabin  to  ashes.  There  were  no  windows  at  the  end 
of  the  building,  and  the  single  straight  one  at  the 
rear  was  ineffective  against  such  a  calamity.  Abund- 
ance of  fuel  could  be  collected,  and  since  the  In- 


88       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

dians  had  long  since  learned  the  use  of  flint  and 
steel,  it  would  be  easy  to  fire  it. 

Every  movement  indicated  that  the  plan  outlined 
had  been  agreed  upon,  for  the  three  left  the  front 
of  the  building,  and,  moving  to  the  smaller  struct- 
ure referred  to,  began  tearing  it  apart  with  the  pur- 
pose of  using  the  timbers  for  the  blaze  that  was  to 
lay  the  cabin  low.  The  work  was  hardly  begun 
when  the  sharp  crack  of  a  rifle  resounded  from 
among  the  trees  near  where  the  youths  had  parted 
company,  and  the  leading  Shawanoe,  with  a 
screech,  leaped  in  the  air,  with  his  arms  flung  aloft, 
and  sprawled  on  his  face  with  not  a  particle  of  life 
left  in  his  body.  - 

The  startling  occurrence  convinced  the  other  two 
that  a  party  of  whites  had  arrived  on  the  scene, 
and,  without  pausing  to  learn  the  particulars,  the 
Indians  made  a  dash  for  the  protection  of  the  wood. 
Before  they  could  reach  it,  another  report  came 
from  the  other  side  of  the  cabin,  and  a  second  war- 
rior emitted  a  rasping  shriek,  accompanied  by  an 
involuntary  leap  from  the  ground,  but  though  hit 
hard,  he  did  not  fall  and  continued  his  flight  at  the 
heels  of  his  companion,  both  whisking  from  sight 
the  next  minute. 

Ben  Mayberry  came  into  view  around  a  corner  of 
the  cabin,  his  face  flushed  with  excitement.  He 
was  looking  for  his  friend,  who  cautiously  signalled, 


STIRRING    WORK.  89 

SO  as  to  direct  him  to  the  right  spot.     Immediately 
after,  they  came  together  on  the  margin  of  the  wood.  " 

"  Gracious,  George!  "  he  exclaimed,  "  I  did  n't 
know  you  were  going  to  take  a  shot  at  them ;  you 
aimed  better  than  I,  for  I  was  flurried,  and  did  n't 
take  enough  pains.  Was  n't  it  rather  risky,  old 
fellow?" 

"  I  did  n't  shoot  that  Indian,"  was  the  answer. 

"  And,  as  Hardin  spoke,  he  held  the  stock  of  his 
flint-lock  toward  his  friend,  so  that  he  could  see  the 
powder  still  clasped  in  the  pan,  showing  that  it  had 
not  been  discharged,  for  he  had  not  had  sufficient 
time  in  which  to  reload. 

"  Well,  well,"  added  the  astonished  Kentuckian, 
"  who  was  it  ?  "  and  both  looked  around  in  quest  of 
their  unknown  friend.  Nothing  could  be  seen  or 
heard  that  threw  any  light  on  the  surprising  occur- 
rence. 

"  He  can't  be  far  off,"  whispered  Hardin;  "  it 
may  be  that  he  has  started  in  pursuit  of  the  Shaw- 


anoes." 


"  He  would  n't  do  that  if  he  were  alone;  there 
may  have  been  several  of  them." 

"  Hardly;  for  if  there  had  been,  they  would  n't 
have  allowed  the  other  two  to  get  away." 

"  If  there  is  but  the  single  person,  and  he  is 
chasing  the  Shawanoes,  we  shall  hear  his  gun  before 
long " 


90       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

As  if  in  response  to  the  thought,  the  clear  report 
of  a  rifle  rang  through  the  woods  at  that  moment, 
though  the  direction  was  somewhat  to  the  left  of 
the  line  of  flight  taken  by  the  two  Shawanoes — a 
fact  which  signifies  nothing,  since  it  was  not  likely 
that  they  had  followed  a  direct  course. 

"  We  shall  learn  who  he  is  one  of  these  days," 
said  Ben. 

"  It  could  n't  have  been  your  father  ?  " 

The  other  shook  his  head. 

"  If  it  had  been  he,  he  would  have  shown  himself 
before  this,  and  he  would  n't  have  started  on  a 
chase  after  the  others — what  's  the  matter  ?  " 

Hardin  was  looking  fixedly  at  the  body  of  the 
warrior  that  had  fallen  by  the  rifle  of  their  unknown 
friend.  His  face  was  turned  toward  them,  though 
he  lay  upon  his  side.  Something  familiar  attracted 
the  attention  of  the  youth,  who  without  answering, 
walked  across  the  open  space  to  where  the  inani- 
mate figure  lay.  He  bent  partly  down  and  scrutin- 
ized it  for  a  moment. 

"  I  thought  so,"  he  remarked,  straightening  up. 

"  Thought  what  ?" 

''  Do  you  remember  that  Shawanoe  who  struck 
you  such  a  fearful  clip  alongside  the  head  just  after 
they  took  us  prisoners  ?  " 

"  Remember  him!  I  should  think  I  did;  I  feel 
that  blow  yet."  , 


STIRRING    WORK.  9I 

"  Well,  that  's  what  's  left  of  him." 

It  seemed  unlikely,  but  when  the  Kentuckian  had 
studied  the  features  for  a  moment  he  knew  his  com- 
rade w  IS  right.  It  may  have  sounded  harsh,  and 
yet  his  training  and  natural  feelings  prompted  the 
words : 

"  I  can't  say  that  I  am  sorry  for  him;  I  can  say 
that  I  am  glad ;  it  was  a  cowardly  blow,  and  I  felt 
like  killing  him  for  it,  but  the  trouble  has  been 
saved  me." 

"  But,  Ben,  how  in  the  name  of  common  sense 
did  he  get  here  ahead  of  us  ?  " 

"  It  must  have  been  by  travelling  faster,  I  sup- 
pose." 

"  The  path  's  almost  a  direct  line,  and  we  did  n't 
lose  any  time  in  coming  over  it." 

The  question  was  rather  puzzling,  but  it  is  prob- 
able that  the  explanation  agreed  upon  by  the  boys 
was  the  true  one.  When  they  were  delivered  over 
to  the  Shawanoes  at  the  large  clearing,  the  three 
either  foresaw  or  quickly  read  the  course  of  Tecum- 
seh  with  regard  to  the  captives.  They  did  not  dare 
to  offer  injury  to  the  lads,  but  the  party  withdrew 
without  attracting  notice,  and,  hurrying  through 
the  wood,  attacked  the  house  of  James  Mayberry. 
Finding  him  and  his  wife  gone,  they  made  their 
preparations  for  burning  the  building,  and  were 
thus  engaged  when  the  boys  came  upon  the  scene. 


92       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

Whether  the  trio  would  have  attacked  the  latter, 
had  they  not  interfered,  cannot  be  determined, 
though  the  presumption  is  that  they  would  have 
done  so,  relying  upon  some  explanation  that  would 
satisfy  Tecumseh,  should  he  learn  of  the  occurrence 
and  call  them  to  account.  Everything  however, 
thus  far  had  turned  out  for  the  best,  and  the  boys 
could  not  but  feel  grateful  for  the  favoring  care  of 
heaven  which  had  been  extended  over  them  in  so 
remarkable  a  manner. 

The  fact  that  the  exposed  cabin  had  received  a 
visit  from  the  hostiles  was  proof  of  the  danger  to 
which  it  was  constantly  exposed,  and  indicated  th^t 
the  visit  was  likely  to  be  repeated.  For  the  boys 
to  remain  longer  was  to  invite  disaster,  and  they 
agreed  that  their  duty  was  to  make  their  way  to  the 
blockhouse  without  a  minute's  unnecessary  delay. 
The  trail  thither  was  plainly  marked,  though  for 
that  very  reason,  it  would  be  perilous  for  them  to 
keep  to  it,  since  it  was  likely  to  be  under  surveil- 
lance by  some  of  the  Shawanoes. 

The  young  friends  were  on  the  point  of  setting 
out,  when,  to  their  astonishment,  a  m?  i  stepped 
silently  from  the  wood  and  walked  toward  them. 
He  was  tall,  finely  formed,  and  attired  in  the  border 
costume  of  the  American  scouts,  which  closely  re- 
sembled that  of  the  Indians  themselves,  and  was 
not  without  its  suggestion  of  the  dress  in  which  the 
boys   were  attired.      His  long  hunting  knife  was 


STIRRING  WORK.  93 

carried  suspended   over   his  left   breast,    where   it 
could  be  more  readily  snatched  from  position  than 
if  in  the  girdle  at  his  waist.     He  did  not  look  to 
be  more   than   thirty-five  or  forty   years  of  age, 
though  in  truth  he  was  not  far  from  three-score. 
His  smooth,  clean-shaven  countenance  was  pleas- 
ant  and  firm  of  expression,  his  hair  sandy  in  color, 
while  his  keen  eyes  were  of  as  deep  blue  as  the 
vault  of  the  heavens  overhead. 
"It  is  Simon  Kenton!  "  was  the  delighted  ex- 
^clamation  of  George  Hardin  the  moment  that  he 
caught  sight  of  the  famous  pioneer  and  scout,  who 
came   smilingly   forward   and   shook  each   by  the 
hand. 

"  Younkers,  this  is  n't  the  place  for  you,"  was 
his  remark;  "  I  came  from  the  blockhouse  'cause 
Jim  Mayberry  asked  me  to  do  so,  on  account  of  his 
worrying  over  both  of  you." 

"  We  were  just  about  to  start  for  the  post,"  said 
Ben. 

"  What  made  you  stop  here  ?  " 
"  I  wanted  to  find  out  how  things  ftood." 
"  I  reckon  you  found  out,"  was  the  grim  remark 
of  Kenton;  "  matters  might  have  gone  bad,  if  I 
had  n't  come  to  mix  up  things  for  you;  but  times 
are  going  to  be  lively  in  these  parts  purty  soon; 
let's  be  off." 

And  within  the  following  hour  the  three  safely 
reached  the  frontier  blockhouse. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN  THE   SUMMER  OF    1813. 

THERE  are  a  grr  "■  many  things  of  which  we 
Americans  are  justified  in  feeling  proud,  but 
it  would  be  strange  if,  in  recalling  the  past,  there 
were  not  incidents  that  awake  opposite  emotions. 
No  n>o"e  glorious  record  was  ever  made  by  any 
nation  than  that  of  our  navy  in  the  War  of  1812, 
but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  early  land  operations 
were  anything  but  creditable. 

One  of  the  favorite  methods  of  conducting  a  war 
with  Great  Britain  during  our  struggle  for  independ- 
ence, and  again  a  generation  later,  was  by  an  inva- 
sion of  Canada,  and  yet  in  nearly  every  instance 
such  invasion  resulted  in  disaster.  The  first  act  of 
General  William  Hull  was  to  cross  over  from  De- 
troit and  prepare  to  attack  Fort  Maiden.  While 
thus  engaged,  he  learned  that  the  enemy  was 
gathering  in  large  numbers,  whereupon  he  retreated 
to  Detroit,  There,  in  August,  18 12,  although  he 
had  a  brave  and  numerous  force,  he  made  a  cow- 
ardly surrender  not  only  of  Detroit,  with  its  garrison 
and  stores,  but  the  whole  of  Michigan. 

94 


IN  THE  SUMMER   OF  l8lj.  95 

Two  months  later  the  attempt  to  invade  Canada 
was  repeated.  A  severe  battle  was  fought  at 
Queenstown  Heights,  when  our  countrymen  being 
hard  pressed,  their  commander  returned  to  the 
American  shore  to  secure  the  aid  of  the  New  York 
militia.  The  latter  refused  to  go  outside  of  the  State, 
and  stood  on  the  bank  of  the  Niagara  River  and 
saw  their  brave  comrades  compelled  to  surrender. 

Three  armies  were  raised  in  1813,  all  of  which 
were  intended  ultimately  to  invade  Canada.  Two 
of  these,  the  Army  of  the  Centre  and  the  Army  of 
the  North,  accomplished  nothing.  The  third  was 
the  Army  of  the  West,  commanded  by  General 
Harrison,  who  proved  that  the  laurels  of  Tippe- 
can'oe  were  well  earned.  The  British  general  was 
Henry  Proctor,  while  Tecumseh  had  charge  of  the 
Indian  allies,  and  was  commissioned  brigadier- 
general  He  proved  himself  in  every  respect  the 
superior  of  the  Englishman. 

The  task  of  General  Harrison  was  to  recover 
Michigan.  He  sent  General  Winchester  to  French- 
town,  on  the  River  Raisin  twenty  odd  miles  to  the 
south  of  Detroit.  The  British  surprised  and  de- 
feased the  men,  capturing  Winchester.  The  force 
of  the  enemy  was  much  the  larger,  and  was  com- 
manded by  Proctor  and  Tecumseh.  Fearing  the 
advance  of  Harrison  from  Lower  Sandusky,  Proctor 
hurried  toward  Maiden.     Harrison  built  Fort  Meigs, 


96       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWaNOES. 

near  where  the  present  town  of  Perrysburg  stands, 
placed  a  strong  garrison  in  it,  and  made  it  a  depot 
in  which  to  receive  supplies  and  reinforcements  from 
Ohio  and  Kentucky.  Proctor  laid  siege  to  the 
place  with  a  large  body  of  troops,  and  ordered  Har- 
rison to  surrender,  with  the  threat  that  if  he  refused, 
all  his  command  would  be  massacred.  A  defiant 
answer  was  returned,  and  the  attack  was  repulsed. 
Proctor,  with  half  his  force,  withdrew  leaving  Te- 
cumseh  in  command. 

This  brings  events  down  to  the  midsummer  of 
1813,  when  our  two  young  friends  once  more  come 
upon  the  stage  of  action.  George  Hardin  and  Ben 
Mayberry  were  now  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  they 
had  enlisted  in  the  service  of  their  country.  The 
father  of  Ben  was  a  captain  in  a  Kentucky  regiment, 
but  Colonel  Hardin  was  so  severely  wounded  at 
Fort  Meigs  that  there  was  little  hope  of  his  taking 
any  further  part  in  fighting  for  a  long  time,  if  in- 
deed he  recovered  before  the  close  of  the  war. 
When  he  was  able  to  be  moved,  he  was  carried  to 
his  home  in  Ohio,  where  he  regained  his  health  and 
strength  in  time  to  take  a  hand  in  the  closing  events 
of  the  last  campaign. 

One  of  the  most  useful  adjuncts  of  our  armies  in 
the  West  were  the  scouts,  whose  services,  it  may 
be  said  were  indispensable.  There  were  many  of 
these  men  who  had  been  trained  in  woodcraft  from 


IN  THE   SUMMER   OF  l8lj.     '  97 

boyhood,  and  who  were  the  equals  of  the  Indians 
themselves.  Penetrating  far  into  the  hostile  terri- 
tory, they  were  enabled  by  their  skill  to  discover  in 
many  cases  the  intentions  of  their  foes,  and  to  give 
such  timely  notice  to  the  American  officers  that  im- 
portant campaigns  were  affected  or  decided. 

The  most  famous  of  these  scouts  was  Simon 
Kenton,  who  was  among  the  remarkable  characters 
developed  in  the  early  days  of  the  West.  His  life 
was  a  series  of  thrilling  adventures  and  escapes,  with 
the  result  that  he  lived  to  see  the  section  that  had 
been  the  scene  of  his  wonderful  experiences  peace- 
ful, well-settled,  and  prosperous,  while  he  himself 
calmly  passed  away,  a  meek  and  humble  Christian, 
more  than  four-score  years  of  age. 

The  second  siege  of  Fort  Meigs  took  place  while 
General  Harrison  was  absent  in  Kentucky  in  quest 
of  reinforcements,  and  General  Smith  was  in  com- 
mand. It  was  not  long  before  the  withdrawal  of 
half  the  force  of  Proctor  was  discovered,  and  Gen- 
eral Smith  sent  for  Kenton. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ? "  he  asked  of  the 
great  scout,  whose  age  and  experience  gave  him 
privileges  in  the  presence  of  his  superior  officers 
that  no  one  else  would  have  dared  to  claim. 

"  Gin'ral,  it  's  hard  to  say  what  the  plans  of 
Proctor  are,  for  the  reason  that  I  don't  b'leve  he 
knows  'em  himself." 


98  TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

"  But:  he  would  not  depart  with  half  his  men, 
leaving  Tecumseh  with  no  one  beside  his  Indians, 
unless  he  had  good  reason  for  it." 

General  Smith  was  seated,  while  the  tall,  muscu- 
lar scout  kept  his  feet,  declining  the  invitation  to 
take  a  chair.  He  shrugged  his  shoulders,  in  a  way 
common  with  him,  and  his  broad  smile  showed  a 
set  of  teeth  that  a  man  of  one  third  of  his  years 
would  have  envied. 

"  That  Shawanoe  knows  more  in  a  half  hour  than 
Proctor  does  in  a  month ;  Tecumseh  ought  to  be  in 
command ;  I  've  an  idee  that  his  habit  of  telling 
Proctor  that  he  's  a  fool,  and  warning  him  that  if  he 
does  n't  fight  more  and  better,  has  had  something 
to  do  with  making  the  ofificer  leave  for  some  other 
p'int,  where  he  can  do  'casional  fighting  without 
having  fault  found  with  him." 

This  explanation  might  have  satisfied  the  one  who 
made  it,  but,  as  a  military  man.  General  Smith 
could  not  accept  it.  Proctor  as  chief  officer,  may 
have  been  angered  by  the  plain  spoken  comments 
of  the  Shawanoe  leader,  with  whom  he  bore  in  order 
to  retain  the  support  of  him  and  his  allies,  but  it 
was  not  reasonable  to  suppose  he  would  allow  it  to 
interfere  with  his  plan  of  campaign. 

"  I  have  a  suspicion,  Kenton,  that  Proctor  has 
set  out  to  at-tack  some  post  not  so  well  able  to  de- 
fend itself  as  ours." 


IN  THE   SUMMER  OF  l8lj.  99 

"  Should  n't  wonder  if  you  're  right,  Gin'ral." 

"  What  place  is  it  likely  to  be  ?  " 

Simon  Kenton  rested  the  butt  of  his  long  rifle  on 
the  rough  floor  at  his  feet,  and  folding  his  arms 
over  the  muzzle,  placed  his  chin  upon  them,  while 
his  blue  eyes  looked  into  vacancy.  It  was  his 
favorite  method  when  engaged  with  some  mental 
problem,  knowing  which,  General  Smith  lit  his  pipe, 
quietly  smoked  and  watched  the  seamed  counte- 
nance, until  such  time  as  the  scout  should  speak. 

Kenton  did  not  require  long  to  reach  a  conclu- 
sion. Abruptly  lifting  his  chin,  he  looked  at  the 
officer. 

"  Who  has  charge  of  bus'ness  at  Fort  Stephen- 
son  ? 

"  Major  George  Croghan." 

"And  a  braver  chap  never  lived!"  exclaimed 
Kenton,  compressing  his  thin  lips  and  straightening 
up;  "  I  've  knowed  him  since  he  was  a  boy,  which 
ain't  long  ago." 

"  You  speak  the  truth,"  was  the  hearty  response 
of  General  Smith;  "he  is  hardly  twenty-one  years 
old,  but  we  have  n't  his  superior  in  the  regular 
army. ' ' 

"  How  much  of  a  garrison  has  he  ?  " 

"  Less  than  two  hundred  men." 

Kenton  emitted  a  low  whistle  and  shook  his 
head. 


t 

100       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

*'  Proctor  is  aiming  for  that  p'int,  you  can  bet 
your  life,  and  he  's  got  two  thousand  soldiers  with 
him.  As  I  figger  out,  Gin'ral^  that  's  'bout  ten  to 
one." 

"  It  *s  worse  than  that,  for  Major  Croghan  has 
barely  one  hundred  and  fifty,  and  Proctor  has  more 
than  two  thousand  men. " 

"  Can't  you  send  him  reinforcements  ?  " 

"  Can  I  do  so  ?  "  said  the  officer,  throwing  back 
the  question;  "  you  are  better  able  to  answer  that 
than  I.  General  Harrison  is  in  Kentucky,  and  will 
not  be  back  for  ten  days  or  a  fortnight — so  /le  is  out 
of  the  question.  If  help  reaches  Major  Croghan,  it 
must  come  from  me.  I  could  spare  half  my  force 
and  still  be  secure  against  Tecumseh,  but  can  I  get 
the  reinforcements  to  Croghan  ?  " 

Simon  Kenton  resumed  his  old  attitude  with  his 
arms  folded  across  the  muzzle  of  his  rifle  and  his 
chin  resting  upon  them,  but  his  musing  was  briefer 
than  before.  Straightening  up,  he  spoke  slowly,  as 
if  addressing  himself : 

"  Fort  Meigs  where  we  are  is  on  the  Maumee,  and 
Fort  Stephenson  lays  east  on  the  Sandusky;  the 
distance  atween  the  two  places  is  'bout  forty  miles, 
right  through  the  woods — Gin'ral,  the  thing  can't 
be  done." 

"  Why  not  ? "  asked  the  officer,  quite  certain  in 
his  own  mind  what  the  answer  would  be. 


IN  THE   SUMMER   OF  l8lj.  lOI 

"  I  'm  'sprised  that  you  should  ask  such  a  foolish 
question,  Gin'ral ;  'spose  you  started  a  thousand 
men  through  the  woods  for  Fort  Stephenson,  with 
twice  as  many  Britishes  to  attack  'em,  and  three 
times  as  many  redskins  firing  from  behind  the  trees 
and  rocks — why,  they  'd  sarve  'em  worse  than  poor 
Braddock  catched  it,  when  he  thought  Gin'ral 
Washington  did  n't  know  how  to  fight  Injins." 

"  There  is  no  questioning  the  truth  of  what  you 
say ;  Major  Croghan,  under  heaven,  must  rely  upon 
the  handful  of  men  he  has.  He  has  good  intrench- 
ments,  even  though  he  has  but  a  single  piece  of 
artillery.  But  Kenton,  there  is  one  thing  that  can 
be  easily  done  to  help  the  Major." 

"What  'sthat  ?" 

"  Send  him  warning  of  what  to  expect,  so  that  he 
will  have  time  to  make  every  preparation." 

The  scout  removed  his  coonskin  cap  and  thought- 
fully ran  his  fingers  through  his  sandy  hair.  He 
smiled  significantly  as  he  asked  the  question : 

"  Are  there  many  ofificers  of  the  reg'lar  army  that 
ain't  prepared  all  the  time  for  deviltry  ?  " 

"  They  would  be  unfit  to  command  if  they  weie 
not  always  ready,  and  yet  it  is  highly  important  to 
know  the  exact  nature  of  the  danger  that  is  ap- 
proaching, for  it  may  be  possible  to  complete  cer- 
tain plans  of  defence  which  otherwise  could  not  be 
used.     Kenton,  word  must  be  sent  to  the  Major  at 


102       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

once,  and  you  are  the  one  to  get  there  in  advance 
of  Proctor." 

To  the  surprise  of  General  Sn>.ith,  the  veteran 
scout  showed  a  reluctance  to  assume  the  duty, 
though  it  was  of  a  nature  with  which  he  had  been 
familiar  for  two-score  years.  It  was  impossible  that 
fear  could  have  anything  to  do  with  his  hesitation, 
for  no  man  who  knew  Simon  Kenton  ever  accused 
him  of  that.  It  was  rare  for  the  famous  scout  to 
show  embarrassment,  but  he  now  did  so.  His 
bronzed,  leathery  face  darkened,  as  if  with  a  blush, 
and,  with  a  smile,  he  bluntly  remarked  : 

"  I  can't  do  it,  Gin'ral." 

The  officer  was  nettled  to  be  addressed  thus  by 
an  inferior,  and  he  showed  it  when  he  curtly  asked : 

"  Suppose  I  order  you  to  do  it  ?  " 

"  I  can't  go." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  will  refuse  to  obey 
me?" 

"  Wal,  Gin'ral,  I  would  n't  put  it  exactly  that 
way." 

"  You  would  n't  ?  Pray,  tell  me  how  it  should  be 
put."  % 

"  I  '11  explain  by  adding  to  what  I  said  that  I 
can't  go  to  Fort  Stephenson  'cause  I  've  got  a  prev'us 
engagement." 

This  statement  did  not  smooth  the  rufifled  feelings 
of  the  officer,  who  felt  that  he  was  receiving,  less 


IN  THE   SUMMER   OF  l8lj.  103 

deference  than  was  due  him  as  the  commander  in 
the  absence  of  his  own  superior.  General  Smith 
was  a  martinet  and  impatient  with  anything  like 
lack  of  discipline. 

"  It  is  strange  language  for  you  to  use,  sir!  You 
are  regularly  enrolled  as  chief  scout  of  the  Army  of 
the  West,  and  yet  wher  I  call  upon  you  to  perform 
a  duty  belonging  to  that  position,  you  coolly  tell 
me  you  can't  obey  because  of  a  previous  en- 
gagement. Kenton,  you  have  no  right  to  have  a 
previous  engagement,  or  to  allow  anything  short  of 
physical  incapacity  to  prevent  your  prompt  obedi- 
ence." 

The  smile  on  the  face  of  the  scout  grew  broader. 
Something  in  the  situation  pleased  him. 

"  Gin'ral,'  said  he,  "  you  say  it  's  the  duty  of  a 
private  to  obey  his  super'r  ofificer,  don't  you  ?  " 

"  I  do;  no  man  can  question  the  fact." 

"  VVal,  that  's  what  I  'm  doing." 

"  I  don't  understand  you." 

"  I  say  agin  that  I  'm  obeying  the  orders  of  my 
super'r  officer." 

General  Smith  found  it  hard  to  restrain  his  tem- 
per. 

"  Let  there  be  an  end  to  this  trifling;  I  have  no 
patience  to  listen  further  to  twaddle  that  would  dis- 
credit a  child." 

"  Wal,  now,  Gin'ral,  there  's  no  reason  for  get- 


104       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES, 

ting  huffy  over  it;  the  orders  which  I  'm  obeying 
wa.  given  to  me  by  Gin'ral  WilHam  Henry  Harri- 
son, afore  he  started  for  Kentucky." 

General  Smith's  eyes  opened.  He  had  not  sus- 
pected anything  Hke  this.  An  order  from  General 
Harrison  was  of  necessity  above  anything  that  he 
could  issue;  but  the  commander  of  the  army  was 
hundreds  of  miles  distant. 

"  There  is  no  questioning  the  truth  of  what  you 
say,  Kenton,  but  you  have  overlooked  one  fact: 
when  General  Harrison  is  here,  no  one  dare  say  him 
nay ;  when  he  turns  over  his  command  to  me  and 
departs,  it  is  as  if  lie  had  been  killed  in  battle ;  I  am 
as  supreme  as  if  I  were  General  Harrison  himself, 
here  in  person,  and  I  remain  so  until  he  returns  and 
resumes  his  office." 

"  That  being  so,  Gin'ral,  I  '11  ask  you  to  settle 
one  thing  for  me.  Afore  Gin'ral  Harrison  left  he 
and  me  had  a  talk.  He  told  me  that  Proctor  was 
likely  to  attack  the  fort  agin,  but  that  you  would 
have  no  trouble  in  beating  him  off;  he  and  me 
agreed  that  when  Proctor  was  beat  back  he  would 
either  leave  with  all  his  men  or  with  a  part  of  'em. 
*  Simon,'  said  the  Gin'ral,  '  on  the  next  morning 
after  you  larn  that  Proctor  has  gone,  you  must  quit 
the  post  on  that  little  bus'ness  that  we  'ranged 
atween  us.'  My  reply  was,  '  Gin'ral,  if  I  'm  alive  it 
shall  be  as  you  wish.'     Wal,  this  is  the  morning 


IN  THE  SUMMER  OF  l8lj.  10$ 

after  Proctor  left ;  am  I  to  do  as  the  Gin'ral  ordered, 
or  shall  I  start  for  Fort  Stephenson,  and  when  the 
Gin'ral  comes  back  and  asks  me  for  my  report,  tell 
him  that  I  have  n't  got  any  to  make  'cause  you  had 
other  things  for  me  to  do  ?  " 

Simon  Kenton  grinned  more  broadly  than  ever, 
for  the  flush  on  the  face  of  General  Smith  showed 
that  the  last  shot  had  pierced  his  armor.  The  scout 
had  justified  his  refusal  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of 
his  commander,  since  to  do  so,  would  be  to  violate 
the  orders  of  his  superior  officer,  even  though  he 
was  a  long  distance  away. 

"  It  would  have  been  well  Kenton,  if  when  I 
had  made  known  my  desire,  you  had  promp<-ly  ex- 
plained that  you  were  bound  by  previous  orders." 

"  I  don't  think  I  talked  long  afore  saying  some- 
thing like  that." 

"  Well,  let  it  go;  it  is  n't  worth  while  to  discuss 
it  further ;  may  I  ask  whether  you  are  at  liberty  to 
tell  me  the  nature  of  the  business  upon  which  Gen- 
eral Harrison  has  detailed  you  ?  " 

Kenton's  face  became  grave,  and  he  shook  his 
head. 

"  One  of  the  first  things  Gin'ral  Harrison  said  to 
me  was  that  I  mustn't  give  a  hint  of  it  to  any  one." 
Enough  ;  I  have  no  wish  to  pry  into  others' 
secrets;  you  are  at  liberty  to  depart  any  moment 
you  choose." 


106       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SUA  WANOES. 

The  scout  turned  to  ^eave,  but  had  taken  only  a 
single  step  when  he  checked  himself  and  turned 
back. 

"  Gin'ral,  'cause  I  can't  go  to  Major  Croghan, 
it  's  no  sign  that  we  have  n't  plenty  that  can." 

"  That  is  my  view;  we  must  have  twenty  men 
almost — I  will  not  say  quite — as  well  qualified  to 
act  the  scout  as  yourself.  Will  you  be  good  enough 
to  send  me  one  of  them  ?  " 

"  Sartainly — but,  I  *d  like  to  ask  Gin'ral,  if  you 
consider  it  very  important  that  this  message  of 
yours  should  go  to  Major  Croghan  ?  " 

"  I  do,  and  the  more  I  think  it  over,  the  more  I 
am  impressed  with  its  urgency;  the  fact  that  you 
cannot  go  distresses  me,  through  fear  that  the  one 
whom  I  send  may  fail. " 

"  In  a  bus'ness  of  this  kind,  it  is  n't  wise  to  hang 
all  your  hopes  onto  one  man,  'cause  if  he  fails  to  git 
through,  the  jig  's  up." 

"  Then  you  advise  that  two  should  be  sent  ?  " 
'  "  Three  would  be  better,  but  two  at  least." 

"  You  can  readily  select  them  ?  " 

"  Without  any  trouble,  but  I  '11  make  it  three. 
I  '11  send  the  first  to  you  by  himself,  and  the  other 
tw  -  together  after  he  has  gone.  You  can  make 
your  'rangements  with  em  to  suit  yourself ;  all  of 
'em  will  be  glad  of  the  job." 

"  Who  are  the  scouts  ?  "       ^^^ 


IN  THE  SUMMER   OF  iSlJ.  107 

"  Jim  Perkins  is  the  first;  he  '11  be  here  inside  of 
ten  minutes." 

"  And  the  others  ?  " 

"  You  '11  know  when  they  arrive,"  was  the  rather 
pert  reply  of  Kenton,  who  took  his  departure  the 
same  minute,  to  engage  in  one  of  the  most  remark- 
able enterprises  connected  with  the  early  history  of 
our  country — an  enterprise  that  promised  to  change 
the  whole  course  of  the  momentous  campaign  on 
foot,  the  particulars  of  which  must  be  given  in 
another  place. 

True  to  his  promise,  he  sent  one  of  the  scouts, 
Perkins  by  name,  to  General  Smith  for  his  instruc- 
tions. He  was  a  younger  man  than  Kenton,  but 
was  brave  and  trustworthy,  and  had  acquitted  him- 
self creditably  in  several  delicate  and  dangerous 
situations.  The  fact  that  Kenton  showed  confi- 
dence in  him  was  the  strongest  proof  of  his  ability 
in  the  difficult  work  to  which  he  had  devoted  the 
best  years  of  his  life. 

Jim  Perkins  was  the  opposite  of  Kenton,  so  far  as> 
his  physical  appearance  went.  He  was  short  and 
stockily  built,  and  evidently  the  possessor  of  im- 
mense strength,  with  the  same  cat-like  quickness  of 
movement  which  was  one  of  the  characteristics  of 
Kenton.  His  face  wai  covered  with  a  dark,  shaggy 
beard  which  descended  some  inches  below  his  chin, 
and  his  hair  and  eyes  were  as  black  as  midnight. 


!08  TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

More  polished  in  manner  than  Kenton,  he  made 
a  military  salute  as  he  entered  the  presence  of  the 
commander,  and  acknowledged  the  invitation  to  a 
seat  with  a  courtesy  of  a  gentleman  of  the  old 
school.  He  listened  with  respectful  interest,  while 
the  officer  explained  the  work  he  expected  at  his 
hands — a  task  so  simple  that  it  required  only  two  or 
three  minutes  to  make  everything  clear. 

"  I  am  satisfied  that  an  attack  will  be  made  upon 
Major  Croghan  at  Fort  Stephenson,  which,  as  you 
know,  is  some  forty  miles  away.  It  is  important 
that  he  should  be  apprised  of  his  danger  in  order  to 
use  every  possible  precaution.  You  w'U  make  your 
way  to  him  without  any  unnecessary  delay,  with 
the  message  from  me.  Nothing  in  the  way  of  a 
letter  is  necessary. " 

"  I  '11  be  on  the  road  inside  of  fifteen  minutes," 
replied  Perkins,  with  the  quiet,  self-confidence 
which  pleases  an  officer  when  observed  under  such 
circumstances,  "  but  suppose  I  fail,  General  ?  " 

"  You  imply  that  it  is  n't  wise  that  this  message 
should  depend  upon  you  alone.  That  is  the  opinion 
of  Kenton  and  myself;  therefore,  two  others  will 
be  sent  upon  the  same  business  at  the  same 
time." 

"  I  am  pleased  to  know  that;  one  of  the  three 
ought  to  get  through,  and  if  he  does  it  will  be  just 
as  good  as  if  all  succeeded.     If  I  'm  the  lucky  one. 


IN  THE   SUMMER   OF  j8lj.  IO9 

I   '11  stay  and    give   what   help   I    can   to   Major 
Croghan." 

"  That  is  my  wish;  would  that  I  could  send  fifty 
or  a  hundred  with  you,  for  I  am  sure  they  will  be 
needed."    ■■,         ,  ;:"■;;••.;■■■'■'■'■'' 


fN 


CHAPTER   IX. 


TWO  YOUNG  SCOUTS. 


GENERAL  SMITH  was  surprised  when,  a  few 
minutes  after  the  departure  of  the  scout  Per- 
kins, the  orderly  ushered  into  his  primitive  head- 
quarters the  other  two  individuals  that  were  to 
undertake  the  task  of  apprising  Major  Croghan  of 
his  imminent  danger  of  attack  by  an  overwhelming 
body  of  British  and  Indians  under  General  Proctor. 

The  cause  of  the  officer's  surprise  was  the  youth- 
fulness  of  the  persons  who  expected  to  be  assigned 
to  this  important  duty.  Both  were  sturdy,  manful 
fellows,  whose  faces  were  innocent  of  beard,  though 
they  held  out  promise  of  something  of  the  kind  at  no 
distant  date  in  the  future.  Their  countenances  were 
attractive,  their  expression  intelligent,  their  eyes 
bright,  and  their  whole  manner  pleasing,  while  their 
fine,  athletic  figures  would  have  commanded  th** 
admiration  of  a  professional  trainer. 

Saluting  respectfully,  they  took  seats  on  the  stools 
indicated,  and  waited  expectantly  for  the  comman- 
der to  speak. 

no 


TPVO  YOUNG  SCOUTS.  m 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  he  asked,  looking  into 
the  face  of  the  one  nearer  to  him. 

"  George  Hardin,  sir." 

"  Ah — that  is  an  honored  name  in  Ohio  and  Ken- 
tucky; are  you  any  relative  of  Colonel  Richard 
Hardin,  who  is  unfortunately  out  of  the  service  just 
now,  owing  to  his  wounds  ?  " 

"  I  am  his  only  son." 

"  I  am  pleased  to  hear  that;  you  have  a  noble 
father,  and  I  am  proud  to  say  that  he  and  I  have 
been  friends  for  years.  And  your  name  ?  "  asked 
the  General,  turning  to  the  other  young  man. 

"  Benjamin  Mayberr} ,  sir." 

General  Smith  laughed. 

"  I  assume  from  what  I  have  just  heard  and  from 
a  familiar  cast  in  your  features  that  you  are  the  son 
of  my  old  friend,  Captain  James  Mayberry  of  Ken- 
tucky ? " 

"  I  am,  sir,"  replied  our  old  friend  Ben,  as  proud 
as  his  companion  of  his  parentage. 

"  Do  I  understand  that  Simon  Kenton  has  sent 
you  to  me  for  the  purpose  of  being  ordered  to  carry 
a  message  to  Major  Croghan  at  Fort  Stephenson  ? " 

"  He  told  us  something  of  the  kind,"  replied 
Hardin. 

"  What  are  your  ages  '  " 

"  We  are  each  a  few  months  beyond  eighteen," 
replied  Ben. 


112       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

"  You  are  the  youngest  scouts  I  have  ever  known ; 
you  begin  early." 

"  But,  General,"  remarked  Hardin,  with  a  smile, 
"  you  mistake  if  you  suppose  we  are  just  beginning. 
This  will  not  be  our  first  work  of  that  kind." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?  How  long,  may  I  ask,  have  you 
been  engaged  in  the  dangerous  business  ?  " 

Ben  looked  into  the  face  of  his  companion  with 
an  inquiring  expression  before  making  reply  to  the 
natural  question. 

"  We  have  been  serving  you  under  the  direction 
of  Kenton  since  the  beginning  of  the  year,  but  we 
did  something  of  the  kind,  off  and  on,  for  two  or 
three  years  before. " 

"  You  astonish  me;  have  you  ever  accompanied 
Kenton  on  his  scouting  expeditions  ?  " 

"  Several  times." 

"  You  must  have  acquitted  yourselves  creditably, 
or  he  would  not  have  recommended  this  important 
duty  to  you.  Evidently  Kenton  is  an  old  friend  of 
your  families." 

"  Yes ;  we  took  our  first  lessons  from  him.  When 
we  enlisted,  the  captain  made  objection  because  of 
our  ages,  but  Kenton  persuaded  him  to  take  us. 
But  we  were  with  the  soldiers  only  a  short  time 
when  Kenton  had  us  enrolled  as  scouts,  and  we 
have  been  under  his  directions  ever  since." 

"  Well,"  said  the  General,  with  a  pleased  tone. 


T^VO   YOUNG  SCOUTS.  II3 

"  you  are  proof  of  the  kind  of  boys  they  raise  in 
Ohio  and  Kentucky.  I  should  not  have  dared  to 
select  you  for  this  important  work,  but,  since  Ken- 
ton has  done  so,  it  would  be  ungracious  for  me  to 
object.  I  shall  be  glad  to  discuss  the  matter  with 
you  some  other  time,  but  this  is  not  the  occasion. 
Every  hour  is  precious;  probably  at  this  moment 
General  Proctor  is  marching  against  Fort  Stephen- 
son with  a  force  so  large  that  I  should  be  witho.ut 
hope  were  any  other  ofificer  than  Major  Croghan  in 
command  of  the  post.  So  large  a  body  of  men  can- 
not travel  as  rapidly  as  you  through  the  intervening 
country.  You  know  enough  to  keep  clear  of  the 
command  and  its  scouts,  and  to  understand  the  im- 
portance of  reaching  Fort  Stephenson  several  hours' 
ahead  of  our  enemies." 

"  There  would  be  no  use  of  our  going  unless  we 
did  that." 

"  Precisely;  well,  off  with  you,  and  give  my 
message  to  Major  Croghan ;  he  will  take  all  possible 
measures  to  repel  the  assault  that  is  certain  to  be 
made.  How  long  do  you  think  it  will  take  you  to 
make  the  journey  ?  " 

The  boys  were  thoughtful  for  a  few  moments. 
Then  Hardin  said : 

"  It  is  now  about  the  middle  of  the  forenoon ;  we 
shall  travel  without  any  stop  to  sleep,  and  shall  take 
enough  food  with  us  to  eat  while  walking.     If  all 

8 


1 14       TECUM SEIF,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

goes  well,  we  shall  be  at  Fort  Stephenson  to-morrow 
while  the  sun  is  high  in  the  sky." 

General  Smith  looked  from  one  face  to  the  other 
in  delighted  astonishment. 

"  Your  hesitation  tells  me  that  you  thought  of 
your  reply  before  making  it.  Upon  an  ordinary 
highway  and  in  a  straight  line  the  distance  could 
easily  be  made  between  sunrise  and  sunset,  but 
travelling  must  be  slower  in  the  woods,  where  there 
are  many  obstructions,  where  you  will  have  to 
make  continual  deviations  and  turns  in  your  course, 
and  where  there  are  several  streams  of  varying  size 
to  cross  Besides,  you  will  have  to  use  caution 
from  the  moment  you  are  out  of  sight  of  this  fort." 

The  youths  nodded  to  signify  that  all  this  was  ac- 
cepted as  a  matter  of  course;  and  since  there  was 
no  call  for  further  delay,  they  rose  to  their  feet. 
General  Smith  warmly  shook  the  hand  of  each, 
wished  them  the  best  of  fortune,  and  they  passed 
out.  As  promised,  they  started  upon  the  most 
perilous  journey  of  their  lives  without  tarrying,  and, 
when  the  sun  was  in  the  meridian,  they  were  several 
miles  from  Fort  Meigs  and  in  the  depth  of  the 
leafy  forest,  which  at  that  day  covered  almost  the 
entire  stretch  of  country  between  the  post  and 
Fort  Stephenson  on  the  Sandusky  River. 

Enough  has  been  stated  to  show  that  young  as 
were  George  Hardin  and  Ben  May  berry,  they  had  a 


TWO   YOUNG   SCOUTS.  II5 

realizing  sense  of  the  task  before  them.  They 
knew  that  Perkins  the  scout  had  started  a  half- 
hour  before.  Previous  to  leaving  the  fort  he  had 
explained  what  he  was  about  to  undertake,  and  in- 
timated that  he  would  pursue  a  course  somewhat  to 
the  north  of  the  main  route,  which  it  was  believed 
the  army  under  General  Proctor  would  follow.  His 
plan  was  the  simple  one  of  avoiding  the  more  slowly 
moving  body  and  getting  to  the  Sandusky  ahead  of 
them.  This  ordinarily  would  be  easy,  because  he 
could  travel  much  faster  than  an  army  with  its 
impedimenta,  but  success  was  made  more  proble- 
matical by  the  fact  that  the  British  force  had  a  con- 
siderable start.  Moreover,  since  it  was  plentifully 
provided  with  Indian  scouts,  they  would  be  on  the 
alert  to  frustrate  any  attempt  like  the  one  he  had 
in  view. 

The  same  disadvantage  confronted  the  youths, 
though  the  distance  which  they  would  have  to 
travel  was  slightly  less  than  that  of  the  elder  scout, 
since  it  was  more  direct.  The  only  means  of  suc- 
ceeding was  the  obvious  one  of  making  such  haste 
that  the  forty  miles  would  be  covered  while  the 
enemy  was  still  some  way  from  Fort  Stephenson. 
This,  as  has  been  explained,  was  the  method  of  the 
three  who  had  undertaken  to  carry  the  warning  to 
Major  Croghan. 

Hardin   and   Mayberry   were  dressed  much  the 


1 16       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

same  as  when  making  their  journey  from  the  Ohio 
to  the  home  of  the  Kentuckian  two  years  before, 
but  the  color  of  their  clothing  was  more  subdued — 
a  precaution  taken  on  the  suggestion  of  Simon 
Kenton,  who  adopted  the  common-sense  course  of 
making  his  garments  as  inconspicuous  as  possible. 
None  knew  better  than  he  the  danger  of  striking 
colors  when  on  the  war-trail. 

The  youths  followed  no  beaten  path  between  the 
two  posts,  though  there  was  one,  which  there  could 
be  no  doubt  was  under  close  surveillance  through- 
out its  entire  length  by  their  enemies.  So  far  as 
appearances  went,  George  and  Ben  were  the  first 
persons  to  penetrate  the  wood,  which  at  that  season 
was  green  and  luxuriant,  obstructed  here  and  there 
by  dense  undergrowth,  with  occasional  valley-like 
depressions,  and  crossed  by  small  streams  that  were 
not  looked  upon  as  obstacles  to  progress.  Where 
necessary,  they  could  swim,  and  when  the  depth 
permitted  they  could  wade.  In  short,  the  only 
matter  that  need  cause  them  serious  concern  was  as 
to  hew  they  should  avoid  collision  with  the  watch- 
ful red  mer  who,  as  has  been  stated,  were  certain  to 
do  everything  to  prevent  the  success  of  any  scheme 
like  that  which  they  had  undertaken. 

The  comrades  walked  side  by  side,  their  rifles 
slung  over  their  shoulders,  while  the  heavy  shoes 
pressed  the  leaves  as  softly  as  if  they  were  Indian 


TfVO  YOUNG  SCOUTS.  II7 

inoccasins,  and  the  words  which  they  uttered  were 
in  tones  so  low  that  they  could  not  have  been  heard 
more  than  a  few  yards  away. 

"  I  wonder  whether  General  Smith  expected  us 
to  separate  ?  "  remarked  Hardin. 

"  He  said  nothing  about  it,  but  it  is  natural  he 
should  think  so,  for  he  would  believe  the  chances 
twice  as  good  as  if  we  kept  together." 

"  He  is  sensible  enough  to  leave  Kenton  and  all 
of  us  to  manage  our  business  when  out  scouting  as 
we  think  best.  We  've  always  stuck  together,  Ben, 
and  I  guess  we  shall  do  so  to  the  end.  If  we  should 
part  company  and  one  o(  us  fall,  the  other  would 
always  blame  himself  for  it." 

"  As  he  ought  to;  but  George,  we  are  travelling 
through  a  new  part  of  the  country  now,  and  we 
must  n't  lose  our  bearings." 

As  he  spoke,  the  young  scout  drew  out  a  small 
pocket  compass,  and  the  two  carefully  consulted  it. 
Ordinarily  the  sun  would  have  afforded  suflficient 
guidance,  but  it  was  on  the  advice  of  their  parents 
that  each  always  carried  one  of  the  useful  little  im- 
plements. They  had  done  their  owners  good  ser- 
vice more  than  once,  and  were  likely  to  do  so  again. 

"  Now,"  said  Ben,  "  Fort  Stephenson  lies  almost 
due  east  of  Fort  Meigs — perhaps  a  trifle  south,  so 
that  if  we  use  the  compass  as  a  guide,  we  ought  to 
strike  the  Sandusky  very  close  to  the  post." 


Il8       TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

"  The  rub  will  come  to-night,  when  the  compass 
won't  be  of  use  to  us." 

"  We  can  strike  a  light  now  and  then  if  we  are 
in  doubt,  so  as  to  prevent  our  wandering  too  far 
from  the  course.  You  must  remember,  too,  that 
the  moon  is  at  the  full,  and  there  are  no  clouds  in 
the  sky." 

"  That  will  be  of  some  help,  but  not  much  of  the 
moonlight  will  find  its  way  through  those  limbs," 
said  Hardin,  glancing  upward  at  the  branches,  so 
covered  with  foliage  that  only  an  occasional  patch 
of  the  blue  sky  could  be  discerned. 

"  It  is  not  all  like  this',»we  shall  have  to  go  slow, 
but  we  shall  keep  going,  and  it  will  count.  What  a 
pity  that  there  was  n't  a  stream  flowing  in  the  right 
direction,  so  that  we  could  make  use  of  a  boat!  " 

The  youths  were  too  practical  to  waste  time  in  re- 
grets. The  only  possible  method  of  reaching  their 
destination  was  by  walking  every  step  of  the  way, 
and,  while  holding  their  disjointed  conversation, 
they  were  in  motion,  glancing  keenly  behind,  and 
m  all  directions.  As  they  had  declared  their  in- 
tention, they  carried  with  them  sufificient  luncheon 
to  save  the  time  that  otherwise  would  have  been 
necessary  to  hunt  for  food.  They  ate  while  they 
were  talking,  for,  with  two  such  lusty  young  men, 
their  appetites  made  a  question  that  could  not  be 
ignored. 


TfVO  YOUNG  SCOUTS.  II9 

Fully  three  hours  passed,  and  the  afternoon  was 
well  along  when  they  came  upon  a  narrow  stream 
at  the  bottom  of  a  hollow,  where  the  vegetation 
and  undergrowth  were  unusually  dense.  Thus  far 
they  had  not  seen  anything  to  cause  misgiving,  but 
twice  there  were  faint  sounds  that  resembled  the 
calls  of  some  of  the  ordinary  birds  of  the  forest, 
though  they  suspected  they  were  the  signals  of 
some  of  the  Indian  scouts  prowling  on  the  fringe  of 
the  advancing  enemy. 

"  Our  trail  is  n't  likely  to  be  noticed,  if  they  hap- 
pen to  cross  it,"  remarked  Hardin,  "  for  there  are 
too  many  people  moving  through  the  woods." 

"  All  the  same  we  must  keep  a  lookout  to  the 
rear,"  replied  his  companion,  glancing  behind  him; 
"  but  here  's  a  creek  that  has  to  be  gotten  over." 

They  had  caught  the  gleam  of  the  water  among 
the  branches,  which  they  now  parted  in  order  to 
gain  a  better  view.  They  saw  that  the  stream  was 
no  more  than  twenty  feet  in  width  at  the  place 
where  they  reached  it,  but  its  appearance  indicated 
considerable  depth.  The  current  was  so  slow  as  to 
be  almost  imperceptible,  and  while  quite  clear,  yet 
it  had  an  inky  tinge,  doubtless  caused  by  the  soil 
over  which  it  flowed,  which  prevented  their  seeing 
the  bottom. 

Standing  thus,  the  question  presented  itself  as  to 
the  best   means  of   crossing.     In   one  respect  the 


120       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

problem  was  simple.  It  was  easy  for  each  to  fling 
his  heavy  rifle  to  the  other  bank  and  then  swim 
over.  The  afternoon  was  sultry,  and  the  bath  in 
the  cool  wate**  would  be  refreshing,  whether  they 
removed  their  clothing  or  not.  If  they  desired  to 
keep  them  dry,  they  could  roll  their  garments  into 
a  compact  bundle  and  hold  them  above  the  surface 
while  swimming  the  brief  distance,  and  it  would 
hardly  be  a  discomfort  to  make  the  passage  in  their 
clothing,  allowing  it  to  dry  as  they  walked. 

There  was  an  objection  to  both  of  these  plans 
which  may  strike  our  readers  as  peculiar.  One  of 
the  most  troublesome  appendages  which  the  scouts 
of  former  days  encountered  in  swimming  a  stream 
was  their  rifles.  It  will  be  remembered  that  they 
were  much  heavier  than  the  modern  weapon,  and 
formed  no  inconsiderable  burden,  though  that  fact 
caused  slight  inconvenience  to  the  sturdy  back- 
woodsman, who,  when  compelled  to  swim,  strapped 
his  gun  to  his  back  and  plunged  boldly  into  the 
water.  Upon  reaching  the  other  side,  he  was  gen- 
erally obliged  to  draw  the  charge  from  the  weapon 
and  reload  it,  since  he  was  quite  certain  to  wet  that 
which  was  in  tlie  barrel.  This  was  a  more  tedious 
task  than  would  be  suspected,  and  was  not  without 
its  danger  in  the  presence  of  an  enemy,  who  was 
likely  to  secure  a  fatal  advantage  before  the  new 
charge  was  available  to  the  white  man. 


nVO  YOUNG  SCOUTS.  121 

It  has  been  said  that  all  this  could  be  avoided  by 
tossing  their  guns  to  the  other  shore  and  swimming 
after  them.  But  suppose  some  of  the  Indian  scouts 
were  near  and  observed  the  movement  ?  The 
youths  would  simply  surrender  to  them  by  placing 
in  their  hands  the  only  means  with  which  the  com- 
rades could  defend  themselves.  The  recourse  was 
tempting,  but  it  was  one  against  which  Simon  Ken- 
ton more  than  once  had  earnestly  warned  them. 

"  There  's  two  mistakes,  younkers,  that  you 
must  n't  make,"  said  the  veteran;  "  when  you  've 
fired  your  gun,  don't  stir  from  your  tracks  till 
you  've  reloaded  it,  no  matter  how  things  are  going 
about  you ;  and  never  let  your  gun  go  out  of  your 
hands  when  you  're  in  an  Injin  country,  so  long  as 
you  've  got  the  strength  to  squeeze  your  fingers 
round  it." 

It  was  wise  counsel,  a  disregard  of  which  caused 
more  than  one  death  on  the  frontier  in  the  olden  days. 

Ben  and  George  paused  for  only  a  minute  or  two 
at  the  point  where  they  had  gained  their  first  view 
of  the  obstructing  stream.  The  same  thought  came 
to  both. 

It  niay  be  narrow  enough  in  other  places  for  us 
to  jump,"  suggested  Ben,  "  or  there  may  be  some 
bending  tree  that  will  serve  as  a  bridge." 

They  acted  upon  the  hope  without  delay.  Ben 
intended  to  turn  down-stream,  but  observing  that 


122       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

his  companion  had  taken  the  opposite  course,  he 
softly  followed  him  without  speaking.  Neither 
forgot  the  necessity  of  caution  in  everything  that 
was  done.  They  were  convinced  that  General 
Proctor  with  his  strong  force  was  several  miles  to 
the  north,  and  there  was  no  doubt  that  he  had  a 
large  number  of  scouts  out,  some  of  whom  could 
not  be  far  from  the  spot  where  the  youths  were 
stealing  through  the  undergrowth. 

Hardin  had  proceeded  hardly  a  hundred  yards  in 
this  stealthy  manner  when  he  stopped,  and,  turning 
slightly  to  one  side  in  the  direction  of  the  water, 
drew  the  bushes  aside  and  peered  through.  One 
glance  was  enough,  and  with  his  glowing  face  to- 
ward his  companion,  just  behind  him,  he  beckoned 
him  to  approach.  The  next  instant  the  young  Ken- 
tuckian  was  at  his  elbow. 

They  had  come  upon  the  very  thing  for  which 
they  were  searching.  The  stream  was  not  only  nar- 
rower, but  a  large  maple  had  fallen  in  such  a  way 
that  while  the  roots  were  on  their  side,  the  upper 
branches  lay  on  the  farther  shore.  The  trunk 
formed  such  a  good  foot-bridge  that  it  looked  as  if 
some  pioneer  had  chopped  it  down  to  serve  that 
purpose,  but  a  second  glance  showed  that  a  stroke 
of  lightning  had  done  the  job  as  cleverly  as  the 
hand  of  man  could  have  accomplished  it. 

"  Now,  that  's  what  I  call  good  luck,"  whispered 


riVO   YOUNG  SCOUTS.  I23 

Hardin;  "  we  '11  be  on  the  other  side  in  a  jiffy,  and, 
if  all  the  creeks  have  the  same  sort  of  bridgtj,  it 
will  be  easy  work  to  reach  Fort  Stephenson." 

He  allowed  the  bushes  to  close  again,  and  moved 
toward  the  trunk,  which  lay  but  a  few  paces  away. 
It  was  easy  to  step  upon  that,  when,  as  he  had  just 
said,  they  would  be  upon  the  other  shore  in  a  twink- 
ling. While  in  the  act  of  raising  his  foot,  his  com- 
panion suddenly  seized  his  arm  and  drew  him  back. 

"  What  's  the  matter  ?  "  asked  Hardin,  turning 
his  startled  face  around,  but  speaking  in  a  guarded 
undertone. 

"  Did  n't  you  hear  it  ?" 

"  Tliat  robin  ?  We  've  heard  it  twenty  times  on 
the  way  here." 

"  We  don't  know  that  it  is  a  robin — sh!  " 

The  apparently  harmless  chirping  had  come  from 
some  point  opposite,  and  a  precisely  similar  cry  now 
sounded  behind  them.  Birds  frequently  signal  to 
one  another,  and  this  could  well  be  an  instance  of 
this  kind,  with  the  possibility  that  the  gentle  call 
came  from  the  throat  of  a  Shawanoe  and  was  an- 
swered by  a  brother  warrior.  The  precaution  of  Ben 
was  wise,  and  his  comrade  offered  no  protest  against 
his  summary  stoppage  while  in  the  act  of  stepping 
upon  the  natural  bridge.  The  two  stood  together, 
fully  screened  by  the  dense  foliage,  and  listened. 

They  could  hardly  believe  that  their  presence  had 


124      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

been  discovered,  for  they  were  so  walled  in  by  the 
undergrowth  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  the  other 
side  of  the  creek,  near  as  it  was.  It  followed,  there- 
fore, that  they  themselves  were  invisible  to  any 
parties  on  the  farther  bank,  while  the  approach  to 
the  spot  had  been  so  guarded  that  it  seemed  equally 
impossible  that  it  had  been  observed. 

Their  motionless  posture  was  maintained  for  ten 
minutes  or  more,  during  which  they  neither  saw  nor 
heard  anything  to  alarm  them.  The  robin's  chirp 
was  not  repeated,  or,  if  it  was,  the  bird  had  flown  so 
far  that  the  musical  call  could  not  reach  the  ears  of 
the  listeners. 

"  Ben,"  whispered  his  friend,  beginning  to  grow 
impatient,  "  we  shall  never  get  to  the  fort  in  time 
if  we  loiter  like  this." 

"  We  '11  never  get  to  it  at  all  if  we  make  any 
blunder.  If  you  think  it  is  safe,  go  ahead,  and  I  '11 
follow." 

Once  more  Hardin  placed  his  shoe  on  one  of  the 
gnarled  roots  which  had  been  uptorn  by  the  fall  of 
the  massive  trunk,  but  before  he  could  throw  his 
whole  weight  upon  it  and  lift  himself  to  the  upper 
side  of  the  bark,  he  withdrew  his  foot  and  again 
stood  beside  his  friend. 

"  What 's  up  ?  "  asked  Ben.  "  I  did  n't  hear  any- 
thing." 

' '  /  did, ' '  was  the  startling  response. 


CHAPTER  X. 

WITH  A  STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM. 

BEN  MAYBERRY  was  mystified.  He  had  not 
heard  anything  suspicious,  though  listening 
with  the  intentness  of  his  companion.  The  two 
were  so  close  that  they  could  speak  without  risk  of 
being  overheard. 

"  What  was  it,  George  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know;  did  n't  you  hear  it  ? " 

"  If  I  had  I  should  n't  be  asking  you  questions. 
What  did  it  sound  like  ?  " 

"  It  was  as  if  some  one  had  struck  the  trunk  of 
the  tree  a  gentle  blow. ' ' 

"  Could  n't  it  have  been  made  by  your  foot  as 
you  placed  it  on  the  root  ? ' ' 

"  It  was  just  an  instant  before  I  did  that,  but  so 
near  the  time  that  I  could  n't  help  putting  down 
my  foot — what  are  you  doing  ?  " 

The  young  Kentuckian  took  a  single  step  forward, 
which  brought  him  within  reach  of  the  base  of  the 
fallen  trunk.  Leaning  over,  he  pressed  his  ear 
against  the  shaggy  bark,  but  it  was  only  for  an  in- 
stant, when  he  raised  his  head  as  quickly  as  if  he 

125 


126      TECUM  SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAW  ANDES. 

had  touched  red-hot  metal.  His  countenance  be- 
trayed his  fright. 

"  There  's  some  one  on  the  log!  "  he  whispered; 
"  move  back!  " 

They  recoiled  several  steps,  which  were  sufficient 
because  of  the  density  of  the  undergrowth  already 
referred  to.  Through  the  better  conductor  of 
sound,  Ben  had  detected  the  soft  sound  made  by 
moccasins  treading  the  prostrate  tree.  Had  Hardin 
mounted  the  trunk  anc!  started  across,  he  would 
have  met  a  buck,  who  an  instant  before  mounted 
the  farther  end  of  the  bridge  and  started  for  the 
side  upon  which  the  youths  were  crouching. 

It  was  the  narrowest  escape  conceivable.  Five 
seconds  later,  or  the  thinning  of  the  undergrowth, 
would  have  made  discovery  inevitable.  As  it  was, 
the  youths  caught  the  twinkle  of  the  leggings  and 
skirt  of  an  Indian,  as  he  came  along  the  trunk,  and 
without  pausing  upon  reaching  the  base,  leaped 
lightly  to  the  ground  on  the  same  side  with  George 
and  Ben,  who  now  saw  his  figure  distinctly.  Each 
grasped  his  gun  closer,  for  they  did  not  mean  that 
their  foe  should  gain  an}  idvantage  in  the  en- 
counter. 

Providentially,  however,  the  Shawanoe  had  no 
suspicion  of  the  nearness  of  the  youths,  and  did 
not  glance  in  their  direction,  since,  had  he  done  so, 
he  could  not  have  failed  to  discover  them.     At  the 


WITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.  \2'J 

moment  of  alighting  on  the  ground  he  was  looking 
to  the  westward,  away  from  the  stream,  as  if  expect- 
ing a  signal  or  the  appearance  of  some  person. 

Standing  thus,  he  emitted  a  low,  musical  chirp- 
ing, the  perfect  imitation  of  the  happy  cry  of  a 
robin  when  fluttering  among  the  limbs  of  an  apple 
orchard.  It  was  immediately  answered  from  a 
point  only  a  few  rods  away,  and  the  warrior  strode 
several  paces  toward  it.  Had  he  remained  where 
he  was  until  the  arrival  of  his  friend,  nothing  could 
have  averted  the  detection  of  the  youths  crouching 
among  the  undergrowth.  As  it  was,  the  Shawa- 
noes  met  so  near,  that,  although  screened  by  the 
dense  vegetation,  their  voices  were  heard,  as  they 
held  their  conversation  in  the  low,  guttural  words 
of  their  native  tongue — a  fact  which  prevented  the 
eavesdroppers  from  understanding  a  syllable  of  what 
was  uttered,  though  every  word  was  audible. 

Ben  touched  the  shoulder  of  his  comrade,  who, 
understanding  his  meaning,  retrograded  with  such 
extreme  caution  that  no  noise  was  made.  Their 
fear  was  that  the  warriors  would  return  across  the 
fallen  tree,  and  if  they  did  so,  it  was  too  much  to 
expect  them  to  fail  to  see  the  boys,  if  the  latter  re- 
tained their  former  position. 

While  the  brief  conversation  was  under  way, 
George  and  Ben  did  not  so  much  as  exchange  a 
whispered    word.      The    risk    seemed    too    great, 


128      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

though  had  they  been  less  apprehensive,  they  must 
have  known  it  was  safe  to  speak  in  guarded  under- 
tones. 

By  and  by  silence  succeeded  the  murmur  of 
voices,  but  the  listeners  feared  that  it  was  only  a 
break  in  the  conversation  which  would  be  resumed 
in  a  few  seconds.  Inasmuch  as  the  Shawanoes  must 
not  have  suspected  that  there  was  any  call  for  un- 
usual precaution  on  their  part,  they  were  not  likely 
to  take  pains  to  make  their  footsteps  noiseless;  but 
the  intently  listening  ears  failed  to  detect  so  much 
as  the  rustling  of  a  leaf  or  the  faint  cry  of  a 
bird.  The  stillness  was  as  profound  as  if  the  wil- 
derness had  never  been  invaded  by  foot  of  man  or 
animal. 

When  the  silence  had  lasted  for  a  number  of 
minutes,  Ben  found  courage  to  speak  in  a  whis- 
per and  with  his  mouth  close  to  the  ear  of  his 
comrade. 

"  Do  you  believe  they  have  gone  away  ?  " 

"  It  looks  so,  but  we  would  better  wait  awhile 
longer." 

And  wait  they  did,  until,  growing  bolder,  they 
partly  rose  to  their  feet,  stole  forward,  and  parting 
the  undergrowth  in  front  of  their  faces,  peered 
about  them  like  a  couple  of  lynxes.  They  knew 
the  exact  point  where  the  two  warriors  stood  while 
conversing,  and  with  infinite  care  continued  their 


WITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.         1 29 

advance   until   able   to   observe   the   precise  spot. 
Neither  of  them  was  to  be  seen. 

"  They  have  gone,"  was  the  declaration  of  Har- 
din, uttered  with  assurance  this  time. 

"  And  toward  Fort  Meigs;  what  do  you  make  of 
it,  George  ?  " 

"  It  is  hard  to  guess;  I  should  n't  wonder  if  they 
were  watching  this  tree,  with  the  expectation  that 
some  of  our  scouts  will  cross,  for  almost  any  one  of 
them  would  use  the  trunk  rather  than  swim." 

"  Why,  then,  did  they  leave  the  place  ?  " 

"  Don't  ask  me  to  tell  you,  for  we  might  guess 
all  the  afternoon  and  be  a  mile  from  the  truth.  But 
I  know  one  thing,  my  fine  fellow — we  ain't  making 
much  progress  toward  the  Sandusky." 

"  You  are  right;  at  this  rate,  we  shall  not  get 
there  in  a  week.  Since  they  have  gone,  let  's  use 
the  bridge  and  then  hurry  off." 

"  Suppose  there  are  more  of  them  with  their  eyes 
onit  ?" 

There  seemed  little  likelihood  of  this  being  the 
fact,  but  it  was  in  accordance  with  their  training 
that  before  making  the  venture  the  youths  carefully 
studied  the  other  bank,  both  up  and  down  stream, 
so  far  as  lay  in  their  field  of  vision,  but  without  ob- 
serving anything  to  cause  misgiving.  When  they 
were  on  the  point  of  making  the  venture,  Ben's 
keen  sense  of  caution  asserted  itself. 


130      TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

"I  can't  help  feeling  that  it  's  risky;  you  know 
it  's  our  principle  to  stick  together,  but  it  is  best 
that  we  should  separate  for  a  few  minutes." 

"I  don't  understand  you." 

"  I^et  one  of  us  cross  first  while  the  other  keeps 
out  of  sight ;  if  everything  looks  right,  we  shall  be 
together  again  right  away. ' ' 

George  Hardin  would  not  have  consented  to  this 
proposal  had  he  believed  it  involved  the  least 
danger  to  either,  but  he  was  convinced  that  the  two 
Shawanoes  were  the  only  ones  in  the  immediate 
vicinity.  Numerous  as  were  the  red  men  that  were 
assisting  General  Proctor,  there  were  not  enough  of 
them  to  place  a  party  at  every  point  along  a  stream 
where  it  might  be  thought  likely  some  of  the  Amer- 
icans would  cross. 

"  I  '11  pass  over  first,"  said  young  Hardin,  "  and 
take  a  look  up  and  down  the  bank;  if  everything  is 
clear,  I  will  signal  to  you." 

"  Rather,  if  everything  looks  clear,  you  won't 
signal  at  all.  I  '11  wait  until  you  have  had  time  to 
look  around  and,  if  all  remains  still,  will  hurry  after 
you.  If  you  think  there  is  anything  suspicious, 
make  the  cat-bird  call ;  that's  the  one  we  have  always 
used  as  a  warning  of  danger,  and  I  '11  understand  it." 

"  All  right,  but  don't  wait  too  long." 

As  he  spoke,  Hardin  once  more  placed  his  foot  on 
the  gnarled  root  that  had  partly  borne  his  weight 


WITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.  I3I 

before,  and  the  second  step  lifted  him  upon  the 
comparatively  smooth  trunk  of  the  maple,  for  there 
was  no  outgrowth  of  limbs  until  some  feet  beyond 
the  edge  of  the  farther  bank. 

A  peculiar  sensation  came  over  him  when  he  felt 
that  he  was  in  the  most  conspicuous  position  he  had 
held  since  leaving  the  fort.  He  was  now  directly 
over  the  sluggish  stream,  unscreened  by  so  much  as 
a  single  branch,  and  in  full  view  of  any  one  within 
several  rods  of  the  place,  if  he  happened  to  be  look- 
ing in  that  direction.  The  consciousness  caused 
him  to  hasten  his  steps,  so  that  instead  of  walking, 
he  trotted  the  entire  length  of  the  bridge  and  leaped 
to  the  ground  before  he  had  reached  it. 

Meanwhile,  Ben  Mayberry,  carefully  veiled  among 
the  undergrowth,  stood  motionless  as  a  statue,  with 
one  hand  slightly  parting  the  bushes  in  front  of  his 
face,  so  as  to  permit  him  to  follow  the  movements 
of  his  friend.  He  noted  the  quickening  of  his  foot- 
steps and  understood  the  cause.  The  next  minute 
he  saw  him  drop  lightly  to  the  ground,  and  with  the 
same  absence  of  noise  disappear  in  the  bushes. 

The  assurance  of  his  friend  had  partly  communi- 
cated itself  to  him.  He  expected  to  wait  no  more 
than  three  or  four  minutes,  when  he  too  would 
climb  the  log  and  hasten  after  Hardin,  and  then 
both  would  press  on  with  all  haste  to  Fort  Stephen- 
son, still  a  long  distance  to  the  eastward. 


132      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

"  I  wonder  whether  there  's  such  a  thing  as  being 
too  careful,"  he  mused,  half  smiling  at  the  thought; 
"  I  know  what  Kenton  would  say  to  a  question  like 
that,  i  don't  believe  there  's  any  use  of  my  wait- 
ing " 

He  had  rested  one  foot  on  the  twisted  root,  just 
as  Hardin  did,  when  he  withdrew  it  again,  as  if  be- 
fore the  warning  signal  of  a  rattlesnake.  In  truth, 
the  vicious  buzzing  of  that  reptile  could  not  have 
startled  him  more  than  the  sound,  so  different  in  its 
nature,  that  reached  him,  for  it  was  the  cat-bird's 
call  from  the  other  side  of  the  creek,  near  the  very 
spot  where  George  Hardin  had  vanished  from  sight ! 

"  Heaven  save  us!  "  muttered  the  young  Ken- 
tuckian;  "  George  is  in  trouble." 

What  else  could  the  signal  mean,  when  it  had 
been  agreed  within  the  preceding  five  minutes  that 
it  should  have  no  other  signification  ? 

Young  as  was  Ben  Mayberry,  he  had  learned  to 
be  cool  in  the  presence  of  everj^  kind  of  peril,  but 
never  was  he  so  startled  as  in  the  present  instance,  be- 
cause, aside  from  the  startling  meaning  of  the  signal, 
he  had  just  reached  the  point  of  persuading  himself 
that  he  would  not  hear  it.  He  could  hardly  restrain 
himself  from  leaping  upon  the  maple  and  running 
to  the  help  of  his  comrade.  All  that  prevented  was 
the  uncertainty  whether  his  help  was  needed. 

The  signal,  as  will  be  remembered,  was  simply  a 


IVITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.  1 33 

warning  that  for  the  present  Ben  must  not  cross  the 
stream  by  means  of  the  prostrate  tree.  Had  the 
signal  been  repeated,  it  would  have  been  a  call  to 
Ben  to  go  to  the  aid  of  his  friend.  With  a  rapidly 
throbbing  heart  he  listened,  almost  hoping  that  he 
would  hear  it  again,  for  he  could  not  remain  idle 
while  able  to  strike  a  blow  for  him  who  was  as  dear 
to  him  as  his  own  life. 

One  fact  was  self-evident :  with  all  of  Ben's  eager- 
ness to  place  himself  upon  the  other  side  of  the 
stream,  it  would  not  do  to  make  use  of  the  means 
before  him.  Good  fortune  had  favored  Hardin, 
who  had  scarcely  reached  the  other  bank  when  he 
discovered  the  peril  of  his  friend,  and  at  what  must 
have  been  a  dangerous  risk  to  himself,  had  warned 
him  against  the  attempt. 

By  this  time,  too,  the  Kentuckian  had  regained 
control  of  himself.  He  reasoned  with  the  acumen 
of  Simon  Kenton,  who  always  did  that  which  his 
calm  judgment  told  him  was  the  best  thing  to  do. 
The  first  necessity  was  for  Ben  to  reach  the  other 
shore,  by  crossing  at  some  other  point.  To  ascend 
the  bank  of  the  creek  was  to  place  himself  nearer 
the  main  body  of  the  enemy.  Therefore,  he  faced 
southward  and  began  his  progress  with  the  care  he 
had  shown  from  the  first,  not  stopping  until  he  had 
gone  fully  two  hundred  yards,  by  which  time  he 
was  far  beyond  sight  of  the  fallen  maple. 


134      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

It  was  a  cause  of  the  keenest  regret  to  the  young 
Kentuckian  that  he  and  Hardin  had  not  arranged  a 
fuller  system  of  signals.  The  agreement  was  simply 
that  George  should  notify  him,  if  necessary,  not  to 
cross  by  means  of  the  tree.  Ben  yearned  to  ask 
him  some  question  or  to  agree  upon  a  line  of  pro- 
cedure, but  though  they  had  made  use  many  times 
of  ingenious  methods  of  communicating  with  each 
other,  it  was  impossible  now  to  reach  any  under- 
standing by  such  means.  Furthermore,  he  dared 
not  make  the  trial,  since  it  was  almost  certain  to  in- 
volve George  in  still  greater  danger.  He  had  taken 
perilous  chances  in  signalling  to  Ben  as  it  was.  To 
do  anything  further  in  that  direction  would  reveal 
himself  to  the  Indians  who  were  evidently  near, 
while  it  was  impossible  that  it  should  help  Ben 
himself. 

Having  picked  his  way  along  shore  for  the  dis- 
tance mentioned,  Ben  paused  to  decide  upon  the 
best  means  of  crossing  the  stream.  He  observed 
that  it  had  narrowed  to  that  extent  that  he  could 
have  made  the  leap  had  it  been  possible  to  gain  a 
running  start,  but  '^  .th  the  tangled  undergrowth 
and  bushes,  such  a  thing  was  out  of  the  question, 
and  not  even  Kenton  could  perform  the  exploit 
without  the  aid  named. 

Loath  to  swim  the  creek,  Ben  continued  looking 
for  an  opening,  as  it  may  be  called,  all  the  time 


WITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.         I  35 

moving  farther  down-stream,  until  suddenly  he  de- 
scried that  for  which  he  was  hunting. 

It  was  not  a  prostrate  tree,  shivered  by  lightning, 
as  in  the  case  of  the  maple,  but  at  a  point  where  the 
creek  was  still  straiter,  an  oak  was  growing,  whose 
extended  branches  promised  to  serve  him  equally 
well.     It  looked  as  if   the   tree,  which  was   larger 
than  the  maple,  had  started  with  the  purpose  of 
carrying  its  limbs  over  among  those  on  the  other 
bank,  but  before  doing  so,  had  changed  its  intention 
and    resumed   its   climbing   toward   the   meridian. 
Thus  curving  outward  and  upward,  the  lowermost 
branch,  as  thick  as  a  man's  leg,  pushed  horiiontally 
across,  until  its  bushy  extremity  was  several  feet 
beyond  the  edge  of  the  creek.     All  Ben  had  to  do, 
therefore,  was  to  climb  the  trunk  a  little  way,  and 
then  pass  out  on  the  limb,  until  far  enough  to  make 
the  slight  leap  necessary  to  land  him  on  the  other 
shore.     He  set  about  doing  it  at  once. 

In  a  task  of  this  nature  he  needed  both  arms.  By 
means  of  the  strong  cord  he  always  carried  for  such 
use,  he  slung  his  heavy  rifle  over  his  shoulder,  where 
it  was  out  of  the  way,  though  liable  to  bother  him 
if  he  climbed  far.  But  he  was  accustomed  to  such 
work,  and  it  took  him  but  a  brief  while  to  reach  the 
sturdy  branch  that  promised  to  serve  him  so  well. 

Placing  himself  astride  of  the  firm  support,  as  if  it 
were  the  back  of  a  horse,  he  paused  for  a  minute  to 


136      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

listen  and  peer  around  him.  The  stillness  was  so 
profound  that  it  was  oppressive,  but  he  had  waited 
only  a  few  seconds  when  it  was  broken  in  the  most 
startling  manner.  The  sharp  report  of  a  rifle  rang 
through  the  woods,  coming  from  a  point  on  the 
farther  bank  of  the  stream,  and  somewhat  to  the 
left,  which  was  in  the  direction  taken  by  George 
Hardin. 

"  Can  it  be  his  gun  ?  "  gasped  Ben,  "  or  has  some 
one  fired  at  him  ?  " 

It  would  seem  that  in  either  case  there  must  be  a 
sequel  to  the  report.  If  Hardin  had  shot  an  Indian, 
his  victim  would  have  emitted  the  cry  without 
which  hardly  any  one  of  his  race  gives  up  the  ghost, 
and,  if  the  youth  was  the  victim,  there  would  have 
been  something  to  follow,  but  the  grave  itself  was 
not  more  silent  than  the  surrounding  forest  during 
the  minutes  spent  by  Ben  Mayberry  in  listening. 

"  We  thought  we  had  turned  far  enough  south  to 
get  clear  of  all  of  them,"  was  the  bitter  thought  of 
Ben,  "  but  it  looks  as  if  we  had  struck  a  hornet's 
nest.  Heaven  protect  poor  George,  and  me  too," 
he  added,  as  he  began  working  his  way  along  the 
limb.  The  task  was  not  difficult,  and  it  did  not 
take  him  long  to  reach  a  point  from  which  he  readily 
leaped  to  the  ground.  Thus  at  last  the  creek  was 
crossed,  without  wetting  his  garments  or  the  charge 
in  his  gun,  which  was  quickly  brought  round  to  the 


WITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.         137 

front  and  grasped  with  both  hands,  ready  for  instant 

service. 

Ben  Mayberry  was  now  called  upon  to  make  the 
most  painful  decision  of  his  life.     His  whole  yearn- 
ing  was  to  hunt  up  George  Hardin  and  to  devote  all 
his  energy  to  extricating  him  from  his  trouble,  if  it 
should  so  prove  that  he  was  still  alive.     If  Hardin 
was  a  prisoner  of  the  Shawanoes,  with  Ben  free, 
the  latter  was  confident  he  could  render  him  effec- 
tive service.     The  help  of  some  of  the  other  scouts 
could  be  obtained,  or,  as  a  last  resort,  an  appeal 
might  be  made  to  Tecumseh  to  secure  him  good 
treatment,  as  that  chieftain  would  be  sure  to  grant, 
if  he  knew  of  the  straits  of  his  former  acquaintance. 
But  why  was  Ben  Mayberry  in  the  Ohio  woods, 
several  miles  from  Fort  Meigs  ?     He  had  been  sent 
to  take  a  message  of  momentous  importance  to  a 
garrison  of  more  than  one  hundred  men  that  were 
in  danger  of  annihilation,    and  he  had  given  his 
pledge  that  he  would  travel  night  and  day  to  ac- 
complish that  task.     Honor  forbade  him  to  allow 
anything  to  interfere  with  the  carrying  out  of  the 

duty. 

It  is  more  than  probable  that  many  another  per- 
son placed  in  the  situation  of  Ben  Mayberry  would  ■ 
have  been  able  to  square  matters  with  their  con- 
sciences  by  deferring  the  execution  of  the  pledge 
until   everything  possible  had  been   done  for  the 


138      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

missing  companion,  and  would  it  be  easy  to  con- 
demn  them  for  following  such  a  course  ? 

Ben  did  not  forget  that  a  more  veteran  scout 
than  he,  in  the  person  of  Perkins,  was  engaged  at  the 
same  task,  and  that  his  start  was  made  first.  Ac- 
cording to  human  reasoning,  if  any  white  man  could 
get  through,  Perkins  was  the  one,  and  if  he  failed, 
it  was  useless  for  youths  to  undertake  it.  Was  it 
not  fair  to  assume  that  the  veteran  was  already  far 
on  the  road  and  would  reach  Fort  Stephenson  long 
before  the  younger  scouts,  even  if  the  latter  trav- 
elled uninterruptedly  ? 

Such  was  the  question  that  Ben  Mayberry  put  to 
himself  the  moment  after  landing  on  the  farther 
bank  and  while  he  paused  for  a  moment  to  decide 
upon  his  course.  It  cannol  be  denied  that  the  law 
of  probabilities  would  have  answered  the  question 
he  put  to  himself  in  the  affirmative,  and  yet  it  is 
equally  undeniable  that  as  events  go  in  this  world, 
a  negative  answer  might  be  the  true  one. 

A  still  stronger  argument  in  favor  of  dismissing 
every  other  thought  from  his  mind  until  the  fate  of 
George  Hardin  was  determined  was  that  the  journey 
upon  which  the  comrades  had  started  appeared  to 
be  unnecessary.  It  was  known  all  through  the 
country  that  General  Proctor  and  his  Indian  allies 
were  fighting  viciously  in  the  northern  part  of  Ohio, 
and  striking  many  savage  blows.     Every   exposed 


WITH  A    STREAM  BETWEEN  THEM.         139 

post  and  point  was  on  the  alert  and  vigilant.     Was 
it  possible,  therefore,  that  Major  George  Croghan, 
with  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most  skilful 
and  among  the  bravest  officers  in  the  regular  army, 
would  be  caught  off  his  guard  ?     Could  he  fail  to 
know  that  with  his  weak  garrison  he  was  certam  to 
be    attacked    by    an    overwhelming    force  of  the 
enemy  ?    Was  it  not,  in  truth,  in  the  nature  of  a 
reflection  upon  his  sagacity  to  act  as  if  he  required 
to  be  told  that  he  was  in  danger  ? 

These  arguments  might  have  convinced  some,  but 
they  were  too  specious  for  Ben  Mayberry  to  deceive 
himself  by  means  of  them.  If  General  Smith  did 
not  believe  there  was  urgent  need  of  his  message 
going  to  Fort  Stephenson,  he  would  not  have  sent 
it.  Ben  Mayberry  was  one  of  those  to  whom  the 
General  had  given  his  confidence,  and  the  honor  of 
the  youth  was  in  the  scale. 

"  God  aiding  me,  I  shall  go  to  Fort  Stephenson," 
he  said  firmly.  And  it  is  of  such  stuff  that  the  true 
Kentuckian  is  made. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

HE-THAT-SEES-WITH-ONE-EYE. 

HAVING  decided  upon  the  course  that  duty  de- 
manded, Ben  Mayberry  did  not  hesitate.  He 
was  now  on  the  farther  side  of  the  creek,  and  a  good 
many  miles  remained  to  be  travelled  before  he  could 
reach  Fort  Stephenson  with  his  warning  message 
to  Ivlajor  Croghan,  the  commandant.  Noon  had 
passed,  and  it  would  require  brisk  action  to  reach 
his  destination  within  the  time  he  had  given  him- 
self. He  compressed  his  lips,  and,  with  a  murmured 
prayer  for  the  safety  of  his  comrade,  strode  off  at  a 
rapid  pace. 

It  must  not  be  supposed  that  Ben  had  given  up 
hope  respecting  young  Hardin.  It  was  not  im- 
possible that  he  had  escaped  the  dangers  which 
threatened  him,  and  was  himself  pressing  to  the 
eastward  with  the  same  haste  as  Ben.  He  may 
have  found  himself  so  placed  that  he  dared  make 
no  more  signals,  and  was  obliged  to  use  all  his 
woodcraft  to  extricate  himself.  And  yet  the  dread 
that  some  frightful  calamity  had  overtaken  the 
brave    Hardin    weighed    down   the  spirits  of   the 

140 


HE' THA  T-SEES-  WITH-ONE-E  YE.  I4I 

IT 

youthful  Kentuckian,  who  was  resolved  that  only 
Providence  should  prevent  him  from  carrying  out 
the  pledge  he  had  made  to  General  Smith. 

The  ground  over  which  he  was  now  travelling  was 
comparatively  level.  There  was  less  undergrowth 
than  near  the  stream,  and  walking  was  easy.  With 
the  rapid,  noiseless  step  that  he  had  learned  from 
Kenton,  he  pressed  onward,  glancing  in  all  direc- 
tions, and  listening  with  the  utmost  intentness. 
The  twittering  of  a  bird  in  the  branches  overhead, 
the  rustling  of  a  leaf,  or  the  gentle  sigh  of  the  after- 
noon wind  which  occasionally  stirred  the  vegetation, 
were  noted  at  first  with  suspicion,  and  then  dis- 
missed from  his  thoughts  as  soon  as  he  identified 
them.  It  was  the  continual  apprehension  of  new 
sights  and  sounds  that  kept  his  mind  busy. 

Ben  advanced  in  this  manner  for  several  miles 
without  hearing  or  meeting  with  anything  to  cause 
misgiving.  His  gait,  indeed,  was  so  keen  that,  if 
permitted  to  continue  it,  he  was  sure  of  accomplish- 
ing his  task  in  ample  time.  No  more  streams  had 
interposed,  though  it  was  reasonable  to  expect  that 
several  would  have  to  be  crossed  during  his  journey. 
He  had  reached  a  region  where  the  ground  was 
more  elevated,  snd  occasional  rocks  and  boulders 
were  encountered,  when  he  was  startled  by  the  un- 
mistakable tread  of  some  person  or  animal  directly 
in  front  of  him.     Like  a  flash,  Ben  leaped  behind 


142      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

the  nearest  tree,  with  one  hand  grasping  the  barrel 
of  his  rifle  and  the  other  closed  about  the  trigger 
and  hammer,  ready  for  instant  action. 

Whatever  it  was  he  must  quickly  learn,  for  the 
stranger  was  approaching  in  a  straight  line.  The 
heavy  tread  indicated  that  it  was  a  quadruped,  for 
no  person  would  be  guilty  of  such  carelessness.  The 
belief  of  the  youth  was  verified  the  next  moment, 
when  the  largest  black  bear  he  had  ever  seen  swung 
into  view  from  among  the  trees,  and,  with  tongue 
lolling,  came  ponderously  forward. 

Instinctively,  Ben  brought  his  gun  to  his  shoulder, 
as  he  stepped  out  from  behind  the  truak,  and  levelled 
his  weapon  at  the  brute.  No  fairer  shot  could  have 
been  asked,  and  he  was  confident  that  the  single 
bullet,  driven  into  the  massive  body  through  the 
hairy  chest,  would  penetrate  the  heart  and  drop  the 
beast  in  his  tracks. 

But  with  his  finger  on  the  trigger,  he  lowered  his 
gun.  It  was  well  enough  to  bring  down  this  king 
of  the  forest,  but  the  consequences  of  such  a  shot  were 
not  to  be  forgotten.  Proof  had  already  been  given 
that  the  Shawanoe  scouts  were  prowling  through 
the  woods,  and  the  report  of  the  gun  was  likely  to 
draw  them  to  the  spot.  The  occasion  was  one  for  the 
young  hunter  to  restrain  his  impulses,  and  he  did  so. 

"  If  you  will  let  me  alone,  Mr.  Bear,"  he  mut- 
tered, "  I  won't  bother  you." 


HE-  Til  A  7-  SEES-  WI  ril-  ONE-E  YE.  1 43 

Whether  Bruin  would  be  thus  considerate  looked 
doubtful.  At  sight  of  the  youth,  he  stopped  short, 
a::  if  puzzled,  and  surveyed  him  for  several  seconds, 
apparently  debating  in  his  own  soggy  mind  whether 
to  attack  or  pass  his  enemy  by.  To  turn  about  and 
run  would  be  to  invite  the  beast  to  assail  him,  for 
nothing  can.  be  more  inspiriting  than  the  sight  of  a 
fleeing  foe.  It  was  because  of  this  fact  that  Ben 
held  his  ground,  hoping  that  a  bold  front  would 
scare  the  brute  away. 

Failing  to  accomplish  this,  he  decided  to  make  a 
strategic  retreat.  Instead  of  turning  about  and 
dashing  off,  he  began  edging  to  the  right,  with  a 
view  of  flanking  his  enemy.  He  was  determined 
not  to  fire  unless  attacked,  when  he  could  settle  the 
business  with  a  single  shot. 

"  If  you  know  what  is  best  for  you,  you  will  stay 
where  you  are,"  said  Ben,  stepping  softly,  but  with 
weapon  ready  for  use  and  his  gaze  fixed  upon  the 
beast,  whose  conduct  was  not  without  a  certain 
humorous  featu^-e.  He  did  not  advance  or  retreat, 
but  acted  as  if  puzzled.  He  kept  his  huge  head 
turned  toward  the  young  man,  his  jaws  open,  his 
red  tongue  dangling,  as  if  he  felt  the  sultriness  of 
the  afternoon,  and  his  big  brown  eyes  were  never 
once  removed  from  the  youth.  As  plainly  as  if  in 
words  his  conduct  said  : 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  are  driving  at,  young 


144      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

man,  but  I  intend  to  keep  an  eye  on  you,  and  be 
ready  for  any  tricks." 

After  a  time  the  twisting  of  his  head  seemed  to 
grow  irksome,  and  bruin  righted  matters  by  a 
peculiar  movement.  Instead  of  shifting  the  fore 
part  of  his  body,  he  swung  the  rear  around,  so  that 
from  his  stumpy  tail  to  his  head  it  was  a  direct  line 
to  the  young  hunter.  This  manoeuvre  took  place 
when  the  flanking  movement  was  half  completed, 
and  nothing  more  was  necessary ;  for  Ben,  without 
waiting  until  exactly  beyond,  continued  to  inch  to 
one  side,  with  a  view  of  passing  out  of  sight,  before 
returning  to  his  original  line  of  advance.  In  order 
to  accomplish  this,  it  was  necessary  to  give  a  more 
decided  character  to  his  retreat,  observing  which, 
bruin  started  toward  him. 

"  None  of  that!  "  warned  Ben,  abruptly  pausing 
and  again  raising  his  gun;  "  if  you  come  any 
nearer,  you  are  a  dead  bear!  " 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  brute  had  any 
comprehension  of  the  meaning  of  Ben's  conduct; 
nevertheless,  he  paused  in  his  advance  and  continued 
his  wondering  stare  at  the  hunter  who  was  conducting 
himself  so  oddly.  Never  forgetting  the  value  of  the 
passing  minutes,  Ben  now  began  a  direct  retreat. 
Instead  of  circling  about  the  animal,  he  stepped 
backward,  with  his  gaze  upon  his  foe  and  ready  to 
let  fly  the  moment  he  renewed  his  approach. 


HE-THAT-SEES.WITH-ONE-EYE.  145 

He  did  not  do  so,  and  Ben  slightly  quickened  his 
movement.  Unable  to  see  where  he  was  going,  he 
had  taken  but  a  few  steps  when  he  backed  against 
an  obstructing  chestnut.  A  glance  over  his  shoulder 
enabled  him  to  correct  the  blunder,  and,  making 
sure  that  he  had  a  clear  field  for  several  paces,  he 
increased  his  retrogression,  with  the  bear  wonder- 
ingly  surveying  him. 

It  is  unsafe,  however,  for  the  most  skilful  wood- 
man to  walk  backward  through  the  forest  without 
using  his  eyes.  An  unseen  vine,  as  tough  as  an 
iron  wire,  caught  Ben's  heel,  and  before  he  could 
kick  it  loose,  he  went  over  on  his  back  with  his  feet 
pointing  toward  the  sky. 

"  Confound  it!  "  he  muttered,  hurriedly  leaping 
up  again;  "  that  will  bring  him  sure." 

But  how  often  a  seeming  misfortune  proves  a 
blessing.  At  the  moment  when  the  youth  was  cer- 
tain he  must  use  his  gun,  regardless  of  the  conse- 
quences, he  saw  a  singular  sight.  The  bear  had  not 
retained  his  position,  it  is  true,  but  instead  of  charg- 
ing upon  his  prostrate  enemy,  he  turned  and  lum- 
bered off,  as  if  in  a  panic  of  fear.  His  species  are 
noted  for  their  stupidity,  and  it  must  have  been  that 
the  puzzled  t  east  was  so  startled  by  the  back  somer- 
sault of  the  youth  that  he  accepted  it  as  some  danger- 
ous demonstration  against  himself,  and  decided  to  get 
away  from  the  neighborhood  as  soon  as  he  could. 


146      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE    SHA  WANOES. 

Ben  stood  silently  laughing  until  the  huge 
creature  had  swung  out  of  sight  among  the  trees, 
and  the  wood  was  as  before.  Then  he  replaced  his 
weapon  on  his  shoulder  and  once  more  faced  to  the 
eastward.  *    . 

"  That  's  the  first  time  I  ever  saw  a  bear  scared 
out  of  his  wits  by  a  fellow  tumbling  over  on  his 
back.  I  should  think  that  such  a  performance 
would  make  him  try  to  get  at  him  before  he  could 
rise  again,  and " 

The  youth  stopped  with  a  shock  that  almost 
raised  his  cap  from  his  crown.  From  some  point  a 
short  distance  off  and  in  the  direction  taken  by 
bruin,  came  the  vicious  crack  of  a  rifle.  In  hurry- 
ing away  from  the  Kentuckian,  the  brute  had  evi- 
dently run  against  another  person  who  was  less 
considerate,  and  promptly  gave  him  his  quietus. 

It  was  impossible  to  conjecture  the  meaning  of 
the  incident.  Hope  suggested  that  George  Hardin, 
inspired  by  the  same  high  sense  of  duty,  was  press- 
ing toward  Fort  Stephenson,  when,  finding  himself 
suddenly  assailed  by  the  frightened  bear,  he  was 
compelled  to  slay  him  in  self-defence.  The  prob- 
ability however,  was  that  the  shot  had  come  from 
one  of  the  Indian  scouts,  who  were  still  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, and  so  close  to  Ben  that  his  peril  was  of 
the  most  threatening  nature. 

He  stood  for  a  minute  or  two,  listening  and  peer- 


HE-  THA  T-SEES-  WITH-ONE-E  YE.  147 

ing  in  the  direction  of  the  report.  All  remained  as 
before,  when,  yielding  to  an  irresistible  impulse,  he 
emitted  a  clear  signal  that  could  not  fail  to  reach 
his  friend  if  he  were  anywhere  near,  and  reaching 
him,  would  bring  an  instant  response,  but  the  listen- 
ing ear  caught  no  reply. 

"It  is  n't  George,"  was  the  conclusion  of  Ben, 
who  started  off  at  a  pace  that  was  almost  a  lope, 
while   he   was   impressed   more  than  ever  by  his 

danger. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  section  through  which 
he  was  now  passing  was  somewhat  higher  and  was 
broken  by  boulders  and  rocks.  Finding  himself 
face  to  face  with  a  mass  of  obstructions,  the  young 
Kentuckian  resorted  to  an  artifice,  simple  of  itself, 
but  which  would  not  have  occurred  to  one  untrained 
in  the  ways  of  the  woods.  .  He  climbed  upon  the 
nearest  boulder  and  began  picking  his  way  with  the 
utmost  care  over  them. 

His  object  in  doing  this  was  to  baffle  any  of  bis 
enemies  who  might  attempt  to  follow  him  by  means 
of  his  trail.  Had  he  worn  moccasins,  the  imprint 
of  his  feet  would  not  have  attracted  suspicious  at- 
tention on  the  part  of  any  Shawaroe,  when  so  many 
of  his  race  were  ^noving  through  the  wood,  but  a 
distinct  impression  of  Ben's  shoes,  such  as  he  had 
been  forced  to  make  o^here  the  ground  was  soft, 
would  disclose  that  it  was  a  white  person  in  the 


148      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  W A  NOES. 

neighborhood,  and  being  such  was  an  American; 
for  while  the  scouts  of  General  Proctor  at  that  time 
were  Indians,  it  was  known  that  General  Smith  as 
well  as  General  Harrison  was  making  use  of  Simon 
Kenton  and  his  trained  associates. 

While  the  sun  was  shining,  it  was  impossible  for 
Ben  Mayberry  to  hide  his  footprints  among  the 
trees,  but  he  could  readily  do  so  by  walking  over 
the  bare  surfaces  of  the  boulders  and  rocks,  where 
no  impression  was  left,  and  nothing  less  than  a 
bloodhound  could  track  him. 

In  another  and  more  delicate  respect  did  the 
young  Kentuckian  give  proof  of  the  training  he  hc\d 
received  in  woodcraft.  It  will  be  understood  that 
if  any  of  his  enemies  came  upon  his  trail  and  traced 
it  to  the  rocks,  they  would  not  consider  themselves 
fully  baffled  until  they  had  gone  farther,  by  follow- 
ing  their  own  judgment  and  acting  upon  what  may 
be  termed  "  general  principles."  In  other  words, 
noting  the  direction  of  the  footprints  in  approaching 
the  boulders,  they  would  conclude  that  the  same 
course  had  been  continued,  and  that  they  had  only 
to  pass  to  the  other  side  of  the  obstructions  to  strike 
the  trail  again. 

Ben  did  not  forget  this  probability,  for  he  avoided 
giving  such  a  clue  to  his  course.  As  soon  as  secure 
against  exposing  his  footprints,  he  turned  abruptly 
to  one  side,  intending  to  leave  the  rocks,  as  if  his 


HE-THAT-SEES-WITH-ONE-EYE.  I49 

line  of  flight  was  at  right  angles  to  the  one  he  had 
been  following.  While  this  might  not  wholly  de- 
feat his  enemies,  since  they  could  recover  the  trail 
by  continued  searching,  it  would  so  delay  pursuit 
that  he  would  have  opportunity  to  place  a  consider- 
able distance  between  himself  and  those  whom  he 
held  in  dread. 

He  was  greatly  relieved  to  find  his  chance  better 
than  he  anticipated.  The  rocky  formation  covered 
more  than  an  acre,  and,  by  several  powerful  leaps, 
he  attained  a  point  considerably  beyond  a  hundred 
yards  from  where  he  left  the  ground,  before  it  be- 
came necessary  to  descend  to  earth  again.  There  he 
paused  and  looked  round  in  quest  of  more  boulders 
that  could  be  turned  to  account. 

There  was  not  a  moment  when  the  young  fugitive, 
as  he  may  be  considered,  forgot  to  keep  watch  of 
the  wood  around  him,  and  especially  in  the  direc- 
tion whence  came  the  report  of  the  rifle,  but  he  now 
made  a  discovery  of  the  most  disquieting  nature. 
A  flickering  movement  among  the  trees  to  the  rear 
apprised  him  that  some  one  was  approaching  from 
the  dreaded  point.  Without  waiting  a  second,  Ben 
stepped  down  so  that  the  boulder  upon  which  he 
had  been  standing  screened  him  from  sight,  and 
watched  for  the  stranger  to  come  into  plainer  view. 
As  he  did  so,  the  young  Kentuckian  uttered  a  low 
exclamation  of  amazement. 


150      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

In  the  first  place  there  could  be  no  doubt  that  the 
individual  was  following  Ben's  trail.  He  was  con- 
tinually glancing  at  the  leaves  over  which  the  youth 
had  passed,  though  his  head  flitted  from  side  to 
side,  with  the  bird-like  quickness  shown  by  the 
trained  scout,  and  which  takes  note  of  everything 
in  his  field  of  vision.  The  shock  that  came  to  Ben, 
however,  was  due  not  so  much  to  this  fact  as  to  the 
identity  of  the  person,  whom  he  recognized  at  the 
first  glance.  He  was  a  "Vv  yandot  half-breed,  known 
as  Wallah,  which  signified  in  his  native  tongue,  He- 
that-sees-with-one-eye.  In  other  words,  he  was 
blind  in  one  of  his  eyes,  having  been  so  from  child- 
hood. 

Wallah,  in  opposition  to  his  tribe,  had  pro- 
nounced in  favor  of  the  Americans  when  war  broke 
out  with  Great  Britain.  Skilled  in  the  ways  of  the 
woods,  he  offered  to  serve  General  Harrison  as  one 
of  his  scouts,  and  his  offer  was  accepted.  Simon 
Kenton  had  a  deep  prejudice  against  all  mongrels, 
holding  that  none  of  them  was  trustworthy,  and  he 
warned  the  General  not  to  trust  the  half-breed,  for 
the  pioneer  believed  he  would  betray  him  on  the 
first  opportunity,  and  was  in  the  American  lines  for 
no  other  purpose  than  to  help  the  public  enemy. 

Wallah  was  subjected  to  several  tests,  in  all  of 
which  he  acquitted  himself  so  creditably  that  he  dis- 
armed suspicion  with  every  one  except  Kenton.     He 


HE-  THA  T-SEES-  WITH-ONE-E  YE.  1 5 1 

did  good  work  for  the  Americans,  and  expressed  an 
eagerness  to  do  more.  In  answer  to  the  reproof  of 
General  Harrison,  the  sturdy  old  scout  said: 

"  It  's  his  natur';  he  can't  help  it;  you  have  n't 
trusted  him  fur  enough  yet ;  he  's  waiting  fur  that 
time,  and  then  he  '11  show  his  true  colors." 

The  first  impulse  of  Ben  Mayberry  when  he  rec- 
ognized the  half-breed  was  to  rise  from  behind  the 
rock,  swing  his  cap  and  call  to  b^'m,  for  what  could 
be  more  cheering  than  to  have  such  an  experienced 
ally  in  the  perilous  task  he  had  undertaken  to  per- 
form ?  But  something,  undoubtedly  the  recollection 
of  Kenton's  words,  restrained  Ben,  and  he  con- 
tinued to  crouch  behind  the  boulder,  with  his  cap 
removed  and  his  head  raised  just  enough  to  permit 
him  to  peer  around  the  corner  of  a  projection  on 
top  of  the  stone. 

The  significant  question  which  the  young  Ken- 
tuckian  asked  himself  was  as  to  why  Wallah  was 
following  his  trail  with  such  persistency.  He  must 
have  recognized  the  footprints  as  made  by  a  white 
man,  and  since  none  of  the  British  was  in  the  vicin- 
ity, that  ought  to  have  been  proof  that  the  one 
whom  he  was  dogging  was  a  friend,  provided  Wal- 
lah was  what  he  professed  to  be.  Be  that  as  it  may, 
Ben  wisely  decided  to  await  developments  before 
revealing  himself.  He  had  secured  a  position  from 
which  he  could  peer  out  without  showing  more  than 


152      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES, 

one  eye  and  the  corner  of  his  forehead,  and  the 
keenest  v?  ion  could  not  detect  them  from  the  other 
side  of  the  stony  section. 

With  the  pecuHar  flitting  movement  of  the  head 
described,  Wallah  approached  the  rocks  until  he 
reached  the  point  where  the  youth  had  stepped 
upward  from  the  ground.  There  he  abruptly 
stopped  and  looked  off  over  the  billowy  surface  in 
front  of  him.  The  action  brought  his  face  into  full 
view,  and  it  would  be  hard  to  picture  a  more  repel- 
lant  one. 

The  half-breed  dressed  as  an  Indian,  and  was  so 
much  like  one  that  only  those  who  knew  him  would 
have  suspected  that  he  had  white  blood  in  his  veins. 
His  coarse,  black  hair  dangled  about  his  shoulders, 
but  there  were  no  feathers  or  ornaments  in  it.  Like 
most  of  his  people,  his  forehead  was  low  and  broad, 
his  cheekbones  prominent  and  his  features  irregu- 
lar. He  had  a  retreating  chin,  a  wide  mouth,  and, 
what  was  remarkable,  his  teeth  were  imperfect  and 
displeasing  in  appearance.  A  blow  received  years 
before  had  broken  his  r.ose,  so  that  it  was  twisted 
out  of  all  pretence  to  symmetry.  There  was  no 
paint  on  his  face,  his  case  being  one  of  the  exceed- 
ingly few  in  which  such  a  fashion  would  have  im- 
proved instead  of  distracting  from  his  looks.  There 
was  some  force  in  the  impatient  reply  that  Simon 
Kenton  once  made  to  General  Harrison's  reproof: 


HE-  THA  T-SEES-  WITH-ONE-E  YE.  1 53 

"  No  creatur'  with  such  a  face  can  be  anything 
but  an  imp  on  two  legs." 

Ben  Mayberry  and  George  Hardin  were  among 
those  who  believed  Kenton  was  unjustly  moved 
against  the  fellow  that  was  unfortunate  enough  to 
be  ill-looking,  but  the  faith  of  the  young  Kentuckian 
was  shaken  when  he  discovered  the  mongrel  trailing 
him,  and  wholly  dissipated  by  his  hideous  expres- 
sion, as  he  paused  at  the  edge  of  the  rocks  and 
peered  like  a  famishing  wolf  over  the  tops  of  them. 

"  He  knows  he  is  following  George  or  me,  and  he 
is  looking  for  a  chance  to  shoot  me  in  the  back.  If 
I  was  really  certain,  I  would  pick  him  off  as  he 
stands  there  like  a  dog  that  has  had  a  piece  of  meat 
snatched  from  its  jaws." 

And  it  was  only  the  single  lingering  doubt  that 
restrained  the  youth  from  shooting  the  half-breed, 
as  he  would  have  shot  a  mad  dog  that  leaped  at  his 
throat.  He  could  not  slay  the  fellow  while  the  un- 
certainty remained;  he  would  therefore  wait  for 
further  proof,  for  there  was  the  bare  possibility  that 
he  might  be  mistaken. 

Ben  expected  Wallah  to  leap  upon  the  rocks  and 
hasten  across  them  to  the  other  side  in  his  search 
for  the  trail,  but  he  did  not  do  so.  His  single  evil 
eye  roamed  over  the  rough,  broken  surfaces,  and 
then,  still  maintaining  his  position,  he  partly  turned 
away  his  head  and  emitted  a  call,  different  from  any 


154      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

signal  that  the  wondering  Ken'.uckiun  had  ever 
heard.  He  repeated  it  after  the  interval  of  about  a 
minute,  and  then  a  Shawanoe  warrior  emerged  into 
view  and    came    directly    toward    the    half-breed. 

They  met  in  a  friendly  manner,  and,  standing 
within  a  couple  of  paces  of  each  other,  held  a  con- 
versation accompanied  by  excited  gestures. 

The  proof  for  which  Ben  Mayberry  was  waiting 
had  come.  This  meeting  left  no  doubt  that  the 
half-breed  was  a  spy  upon  the  Americans,  and  that 
everything  he  did  was  with  a  full  understanding  on 
the  part  of  the  Shawanoes  and  Wyandots.  Nothing 
would  have  given  the  young  Kentuckian  greater 
satisfaction  than  to  shoot  down  the  traitor  as  he 
stood  within  easy  range,  but  the  reader  hardly  needs 
to  be  reminded  that,  so  long  as  Wallah  had  a  com- 
panion, the  act  would  have  been  highly  imprudent 
on  the  part  of  the  indignant  youth. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

THROUGH   MANY  PERILS. 

BEN  MAYBERRY  never  once  removed  his  eyes 
from  the  half-breed  and  the  Shawanoe.  They 
stood  with  their  sides  towards  him,  so  that  for  most 
of  the  time  he  saw  their  faces  in  profile.  The  In- 
dian did  the  greater  part  of  the  gesticulating, 
though  occasionally  Wallah  swung  one  of  his  arms 
and  shook  his  head  in  a  fashion  that  showed  he  was 
as  much  in  earnest  as  his  companion  in  whatever  he 
said.  -■-'■'-• 

It  was  useless  for  the  young  Kentuckian  to  try  to 
guess  what  was  spoken,  though  he  could  not  doubt 
that  it  referred  to  him.  He  was  inclined  more  than 
once  to  steal  out  from  his  hiding-place  and  take  to 
the  woods,  but  was  restrained  by  the  likelihood  that 
such  action  would  be  fatal ;  for  with  two  men  search- 
ing for  the  trail,  they  were  sure  speedily  to  recover 
it  when  their  pursuit  would  become  so  vigorous  that 
they  must  overtake  him  before  he  could  go  more 
than  a  mile  or  two.  It  would  be  hopeless  to  con- 
tend against  two  such  veteran  woodsmen,  though, 

155 


156      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

had  there  been  but  one,  he  would  have  felt  little 
dread  of  him. 

Men  like  the  two  whom  he  was  watching  are  more 
accustomed  to  action  than  words,  and  despite  the 
vigor  of  the  conversation,  it  lasted  but  a  short  time, 
when,  to  the  alarm  of  Ben,  both  sprang  lightly  upon 
the  rocks  and  started  across  the  tops  in  a  direct  line, 
thus  proving  the  correctness  of  the  youth's  theory 
as  to  their  method  of  pursuit.  It  was  dangerous 
for  him  to  watch  them,  but  he  did  so  until,  reaching 
the  farther  side,  they  leaped  to  the  ground,  prob- 
ably expecting  to  find  the  trail  after  a  minute's 
search.  Failing  in  that,  they  began  a  systematic 
hunt  for  it. 

When  this  point  was  attained,  the  crouching  fugi- 
tive knew  it  would  not  do  for  him  to  watch  further. 
In  making  their  circuit  of  the  boulders,  as  they  were 
certain  to  do,  they  would  come  perilously  near  his 
hiding-place.  The  exposure  of  the  slightest  part  of 
his  body  would  betray  him  and  he  was  too  wise  to 
run  the  risk. 

But  a  most  dangerous  feature  of  the  business  now 
presented  itself :  what  would  be  the  conclusion  of 
the  couple  after  making  the  circuit  of  the  rocks 
without  finding  the  telltale  footprints  ?  Would  it 
not  naturally  be  that  the  young  man  was  hiding 
somewhere  among  the  boulders  themselves  ?  If  so, 
then  they  would  continue  their  hunt  there. 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS.  157 

"  And  if  I  stay  in  this  spot  they  will  come  upon 
me,"  was  his  thought,  as  he  glanced  around  for 
some  more  secure  hiding-place.  Fortune  favored 
him  in  this  respect,  for  at  his  feet  was  an  inward 
curve  of  one  of  the  boulders,  between  which  he  was 
stooping,  sufficiently  large  to  admit  his  body. 
Better  still,  it  would  not  be  noticed  by  any  one 
from  above,  and  would  have  escaped  the  eye  of  the 
youth  but  for  his  prone  position. 

Stooping  still  lower,  he  crawled  beneath  as  far  as 
he  could  get,  and  then  stretched  out,  backing 
against  the  stone  wall  to  the  rear  as  closely  as  if  his 
life  depended  upon  it,  which  was  probably  the  fact. 
As  he  lay,  the  huge  boulder  projected  more  than  a 
foot  beyond  his  body.  The  sun  was  so  low  in  the 
sky  that  the  open  space  between  the  rocks,  upon 
which  he  could  look,  and  which  was  no  more  than 
a  yard  in  width,  was  only  dimly  lighted.  His 
thoughts  were  busy. 

"  They  must  know  that  there  are  a  hundred 
places  where  a  fellow  can  hide  himself,  so  that  a 
long  search  is  needed,  and  even  then  they  may  miss 
him.  I  have  n't  left  any  trace  that  will  guide  them 
to  this  spot,  and,  if  they  happen  to  look  down  here, 
they  won't  suspect  that  I  have  squeezed  out  of 
sight.  All  that  I  have  to  do  is  to  wait  until  they 
leave  before  coming  out. 

"  But  how  am  I  to  know  when  they  leave  ?  "  was 


158      TECUM SEII,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

his  natural  query;  "  if  they  suspect  that  I  am  some- 
where among  the  rocks,  they  may  steal  off  and  wait 
for  me  to  show  myself." 

This  suggested  the  only  safe  course  open  to  him, 
which  was  to  remain  in  hiding  until  night  had  fully 
come.  When  the  woods  were  dark,  it  would  be  a 
comparatively  easy  matter  to  steal  into  the  woods 
unseen. 

"  At  this  rate  it  will  be  a  long  time  before  I  see 
Fort  Stephenson,"  he  mused;  "  but  it  will  be  a 
good  deal  sooner  than  if  I  never  get  there  at  all." 

Perhaps  fifteen  minutes  passed  in  perfect  silence, 
during  which  the  temptation  was  strong  to  creep 
back  into  the  narrow  passage  and  take  a  peep  at  his 
enemies,  but  Ben  Mayberry  would  have  been  un- 
worthy of  the  name  of  a  Kentucky  backwoodsman 
had  he  done  so.  He  lay  motionless,  hearing  no 
sound  except  the  throbbing  of  his  own  heart,  which, 
however,  was  as  regular  as  when  he  was  talking  with 
General  Smith  at  the  Fort.  At  the  end  of  the  time 
named,  he  heard  a  sound  so  faint  that  it  could  not 
be  identified,  though  he  was  certain  it  was  caused 
by  one  of  his  enemies. 

Reflection  convinced  Ben  that  either  the  Shawa- 
noe  or  half-breed  had  paused  upon  the  rock  under- 
neath which  he  was  hiding.  As  the  children  say 
when  hunting  for  some  hidden  object,  the  searchers 
were    becoming    perilously    "  hot."      They    were 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS.  1 59 

within  a  few  paces  of  the  missing  one,  who  breath- 
lessly awaited  their  next  move. 

The  alarming  disadvantage  of  Ben  Mayberry  if 
detected  will  be  noted.  In  his  cramped  position 
under  the  rock,  where  he  had  squeezed  his  body 
until  he  could  barely  move,  he  was  wholly  unable 
to  defend  himself.  If  caught  at  all,  it  would  be 
like  a  rat  in  a  trap,  where  resistance  was  out  of  the 
question. 

It  is  impossible  to  imagine  a  more  trying  situation 
than  that  of  the  young  Kentuckian  within  the  fol- 
lowing five  minutes.  His  face  being  turned  out- 
ward, he  plainly  saw  the  other  side  of  the  narrow, 
caflon-like  passage,  while  his  hiding-place  was  within 
two  or  three  feet  of  the  top  of  the  rock  which  did 
him  such  good  service.  While  peering  and  listen- 
ing with  all  his  senses,  two  moccasins  suddenly 
dangled  in  front  of  his  eyes. 

Either  the  half-breed  or  the  Shawanoe  had  sat 
down  on  the  crest  of  the  stone  and  allowed  his  feet 
to  hang  over  into  the  narrow  passage.  This  brought 
them  just  low  enough  for  the  youth  to  see  the  soles 
and  a  small  portion  of  the  sides.  His  eyes  remained 
fixed  upon  them  from  the  instant  they  came  into 
sight.  * 

"  They  belong  to  Wallah,"  was  his  conclusion, 
though  he  cpuld  give  himself  no  reason  for  such 
belief,  for  he  had  never  been  favored  with  a  view  of 


l60      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

the  soles  of  his  foot-gear,  nor  was  it  to  be  supposed 
that  they  possessed  any  distinctive  peculiarity. 

There  is  little  shape  or  symmetry  to  an  Indian 
moccasin,  its  resemblance  being  to  that  of  a  turtle 
or  dumpling.  The  toes  naturally  being  lower  than 
the  heels,  Ben  saw  the  whole  length  of  the  bottom 
of  the  foot.  Unlike  the  ordinary  shoe,  the  moc- 
casin has  no  real  sole,  or  additional  leather,  the  un- 
tanned  deerskin  of  which  it  is  formed  being  generally 
sewn  in  a  seam  from  toe  to  heel. 

The  most  trifling  objects  impress  themselves  upon 
one  at  such  a  time.  The  youth  noted  that  the  right 
moccasin  was  worn  more  than  its  mate,  that  there 
were  grains  of  sand  and  dirt  attached,  and  when  the 
owner  unconsciously  moved  his  toes,  some  of  the 
particles  dropped  to  the  ground.  The  left  foot  re- 
mained as  motionless  as  if  made  of  wood,  while  to 
the  right  was  imparted  a  slightly  swaying  motion, 
such  as  one  naturally  indulges  in  when  sitting  at 
ease  and  with  his  feet  unsupported.  By  reaching 
forward  with  one  hand,  without  stirring  his  body, 
Ben  Mayberry  could  have  seized  either  of  the  moc- 
casins and  yanked  the  astounded  owner  from  his 
seat. 

Suddenly  the  man  spoke,  as  if  addressing  his 
companion,  who  replied  from  the  opposite  side  of 
the  passage.  What  was  said  could  not  be  under- 
stood, since  it  was  uttered  in  the  Indian  tongue, 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS.  l6l 

but  it  added  another  startling  feature  to  the  extra- 
ordinary situation.  If  the  second  person  should 
advance  and  seat  himself  on  the  other  rock,  he 
could  hardly  fail  to  observe  the  cavity  directly  be- 
neath the  dangling  moccasins.  The  youth  expected 
him  to  do  this,  in  which  event  he  would  be  satis- 
fied that  his  enemies  had  already  located  him,  and 
were  playing  with  their  victim  as  a  cat  does  with  a 
mouse  before  crunching  it  in  her  jaws. 

Whether  it  was  the  Shawanoe  or  half-breed  he 
did  not  advance,  but  remained  standing  some  yards 
away.  Then  both  moccasins  whisked  out  of  sight. 
The  owner  had  drawn  them  up-and  risen  to  his  feet. 
The  next  moment  he  leaped  across  the  narrow  pass- 
age, joined  his  companion,  and  the  two  departed  to 
some  unknown  point.  Is  it  possible  to  conceive  of 
a  narrower  escape  than  that  of  Ben  Mayberry  ? 

He  drew  a  sigh  o{  relief,  but  was  far  from  con- 
gratulating himself  with  the  belief  that  his  danger 
was  over.  While  it  was  hardly  likely  that  the  inci- 
dent described  would  be  repeated,  yet  the  eneraies 
were  so  close  that  he  was  imprisoned  for  an  in- 
definite time,  with  the  possibility  of  being  discovered 
when  he  ventured  to  leave,  even  if  he  waited  until 
nightfall. 

The  minutes  wore  away  with  wearying  slowness. 
A  watch  was  a  rare  curiosity  in  our  early  days,  and 
the  father  of  George  Hardin  was  the  only  one  in  the 


l62       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

two  families  who  owned  such  a  treasure.  Thus  the 
young  Kentuckian  had  no  method  of  telling  the 
passage  of  time  except  by  mental  calculation.  He 
was  confident  that  he  lay  in  his  cramped  position  for 
fully  two  hours  after  the  disappearance  of  the  moc- 
casins before  he  ventured  to  move  a  muscle.  By 
that  time,  he  was  in  such  a  state  of  discomfort  that 
he  could  bear  it  no  longer.  He  hitched  along  until 
almost  in  the  passage.  Since  it  was  impossible  that 
his  enemies  should  have  retained  their  places  near 
him  during  all  that  time  (for  there  was  no  conceiv- 
able r(  ison  for  doing  so),  he  felt  that  it  was  running 
no  risk  for  him  to  move  into  the  opening,  where  he 
stretched  his  limbs  and  yawned  with  a  feeling  of 
unspeakable  relief.  Then  he  rolled  over  once  or 
twice,  like  a  horse  when  his  harness  is  removed,  and 
was  himself  again. 

"  Gracious!  "  he  murmured,  "  that  does  a  fellow 
good ;  if  I  could  have  a  run  of  half  a  mile  or  so,  I 
should  be  a  new  person." 

Slowly  and  with  infinite  care  he  raised  his  head 
until  he  attained  his  former  position  and  peered 
around  him.  The  scrutiny  revealed  nothing,  and 
he  convinced  himself  that  there  was  reason  to  hope 
that  the  two  had  left,  for  since  they  were  nowhere 
in  sight,  it  looked  as  if  they  had  given  up  the  search. 

Had  only  himself  been  concerned,  Ben  Mayberry 
would  have  resolutely  remained  where  he  was  until 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS.  163 

the  sun  had  gone  down  and  night  w^s  fully  come, 
but  he  chafed  at  the  delay,  and  not  unnaturally 
magnified  the  importance  of  his  mission.  He  be- 
lieved in  his  nervous  condition,  though  the  pre- 
sumption was  preposterous,  that  if  he  failed  to 
reach  and  notify  Major  Croghan  of  his  peril,  he  and 
his  garrison  would  be  cut  off  to  a  man. 

"  I  must  make  the  venture,"  was  his  resolute  de- 
cision, "  for  there  is  too  much  depending  on  me  to 
chink  only  of  myself." 

It  will  be  recalled  that  the  place  where  the  youth 
had  taken  refuge  was  on  the  margin  of  the  stony 
portion,  so  that  he  had  but  a  brief  distance  to  go  to 
reach  the  open  wo'^d  where  travelling  was  easy.  If 
he  could  succeed  in  darting  among  the  trees  unseen, 
it  would  be  in  time  to  complete  his  mission,  and  he 
was  certain  that  the  greatest  danger  would  then  be 
behind  mm. 

Not  daring  to  raise  his  head,  he  crept  along  the 
narrow  passage,  his  chin  almost  upon  his  knees, 
until  he  was  at  the  extreme  outer  boundary  of  the 
mass  of  rocks  and  boulders.  The  way  seemed  open, 
but  he  hesitated  until  he  could  gather  his  energies 
for  the  dash  to  cover. 

Before  doing  so,  he  thrust  his  head  forward  to 
scrutinize  the  bcmdary  of  the  stony  section,  and,  as 
he  did  so,  he  saw  the  Shawanoe  wanior  standing 
less  than  a  rod  distimt,  resting  on  his  rifle,  whose 


104      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

stock  was  on  the  ground,  while  he  was  looking 
steadily  in  the  direction  of  the  wood,  his  profile 
being  once  more  presented  to  view.  To  this  fact 
alone  was  due  Ben's  escape  from  discovery. 

Had  he  tried  the  dash  he  would  Lave  been  shot 
down  or  captured  before  he  could  have  gone  twenty 
steps.  It  was  a  terrifying  lesson  to  him,  but  with 
that  coolness  which  rarely  deserted  him,  he  moved 
backward  until  it  was  safe  to  turn  his  face  the  other 
way,  when  he  never  paused  until  he  was  again  in  his 
old  quarters. 

"Whew!"  he  muttered;  "  it  could  n't  have  been 
much  closer  than  that;  they  will  wait  here  until 
dark,  and  maybe  longer.  There  's  no  doubt  ')f 
that,  but,  luckily,  it  will  soon  be  night." 
-  In  ^ruth,  the  sun  was  already  low  in  the  sky, 
proving  that  he  had  been  in  hiding  longer  than  he 
suspected.  He  was  determined,  in  the  face  of  his 
narrow  escape,  to  repeat  his  attempt  as  soon  as  dark- 
ness settled  in  the  woods. 

"  All  I  ask  is  a  good  start,"  was  his  thought, 
"  for  no  Indian  can  trail  a  person  when  there  is  no 
sun  in  the  sky,  and  that  reminds  me." 

It  was  characteristic  of  the  young  Kentuckian 
that  as  he  lay  in  a  position  somewhat  less  cramped 
than  before,  that  he  drew  forth  what  remained  of 
his  luncheon  and  demonstrated  his  fine  appetite  by 
devouring  the  last  crumb. 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS.  1 65 

"  Now  I  shall  have  to  do  some  travelling  to  save 
myself  from  starvation,"  was  his  grim  thought; 
"I  '11  be  hungry  enough  when  I  get  to  the  fort,  but 
what  's  the  use  of  a  fellow  going  hungry  when  he  's 
got  provisions  in  his  clothes  ?  " 

Naturally  he  was  thirsty,  but  had  to  content  him- 
self with  the  promise  that  he  would  drink  dry  the 
first  spring  or  brook  he  reached  after  emerging  from 
his  uncomfortable  quarters.    . 

"  Young  men  like  us  must  n't  mind  such  little 
things,"  was  his  philosophical  conclusion ;  "  if  Ken- 
ton was  here  he  would  laugh  at  me.  I  hope  poor 
George  is  in  better  quarters  than  I,"  he  added,  with 
a  shrinking  heart,  as  his  musings  returned  to  his 
missing  comrade ;  "  if  he  is  alive  he  must  be  worried 
about  me."  • 

While  his  thoughts  were  flitting  hither  and  thither, 
Ben  became  aware  that  the  faint  glow  in  the  pass- 
age was  made  by  the  moon  instead  of  the  sun. 
Night  had  come,  and  the  hour  was  later  than  he  had 
thought.  He  started,  as  if  his  conscience  reproved 
him  for  his  remissness,  and  crept  out  of  his  hiding- 
place  more  quickly  than  he  would  have  done  had  it 
been  earlier  in  the  day.  There  being  no  shade  over 
this  spot,  he  was  surprised,  when  looking  in  the 
direction  of  the  woods,  to  observe  row  dark  every- 
thing appeared.  It  was  as  if  he  was  inclosed  by  a 
world  of  shadow,  which,  if  he  could  enter  it,  would 


fn... 


1 66      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

screen  him  from  the  keenest  eye  that  ever  attempted 
to  track  a  foe  to  his  death. 

Ben  moved  more  hurriedly  than  before  along  the 
passage  until  he  arrived  at  the  point  where  he  had 
turned  back  in  such  haste  at  sight  of  the  Shawanoe 
on  guard.  There  he  paused  and  peered  around  and 
listened.  The  spot  where  the  warrior  had  been 
standing  was  partly  in  shadow,  but  he  had  no  fear 
that  he  was  still  there.  Although  the  American 
Indian  sometimes  shows  a  patience  like  that  of  the 
Eskimo  when  waiting  for  the  seal  to  appear  through 
the  air-hole  in  the  ice,  it  was  too  much  to  believe 
this  specimen  capable  of  maintaining  his  position  for 
all  the  time  named.  He  was  not  there,  though  it  was 
not  impossible  he  was  somewhere  else  equally  danger- 
ous to  the  youth,  who  could  remain  idle  no  longer. 

Slowly  assuming  the  upright  posture,  he  cast  one 
glance  at  the  darkness  among  the  trees,  which 
seemed  to  be  beckoning  him  to  their  protection, 
and  then  the  break  was  made. 

It  was  over  in  the  space  of  two  or  three  seconds. 
The  sensation. is  indescribable  when  one  is  in  con- 
stant expectation  of  receiving  the  bullet  of  an  un- 
seen enemy,  or  when  he  suspects  the  foe  is  awaiting 
just  ahead  with  upraised  tomahawk  to  sink  into  his 
brain.  Under  the  impulse  of  the  strange  terror,  Ben 
kept  on  after  passing  among  the  trees,  until  he  had 
collided  with  several  trunks  and  been  lifted  almost 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS.  1 67 

off  his  feet  by  the  obtrusion  of  a  number  of  branches 
across  his  line  of  flight.  Finally  he  paused  with  the 
certainty  that  the  daring  essay  had  been  successful. 
He  was  in  the  forest,  where  for  many  hours  he  was 
safe  against  the  pursuit  of  any  biped  that  ever  lived. 

But  with  the  glow  of  thankfulness  that  suffused 
his  frame  came  a  number  of  reflections  which  were 
anything  but  comforting.  Ten  hours  had  passed 
since  he  had  left  Fort  Meigs,  and  he  was  still  within 
five  miles  of  his  starting-point.  It  was  his  intention 
to  ( ontinue  travelling  through  the  night,  but  his 
progress  must  of  necessity  be  slow,  when  he  would 
have  to  feel  his  way,  as  may  be  said,  with  the  con- 
stant liability  to  go  astray,  though  he  was  hopeful 
that  the  latter  would  not  cause  any  real  trouble. 

"  If  nothing  has  happened  to  Perkins  and  George, 
they  must  both  be  a  good  deal  farther  on  the  road 
than  I,  but  if  they  have  met  with  any  misfortune,  it 
will  be  all  up  with  Major  Croghan  and  his  men. 
Heaven  protect  them!  " 

The  keenest  physical  sensation  with  the  young 
Kentuckian  just  then  was  his  thirst,  and  when  ere 
long  his  foot  splashed  into  a  small  stream,  he  did 
his  best  to  carry  out  the  promJ_.e  he  had  made  him- 
self when  eating  his  lunch  among  the  rocks.  With- 
out any  fastidiousness,  he  lay  down  and  drank  until 
he  could  hold  no  more.  Then  with  a  sigh  of  enjoy- 
ment, he  rose  to  his  feet. 


l68      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  IVANOES. 


"  It  *s  worth  going  without  water  for  a  day  or  two 
for  the  sake  of  such  a  drink  as  that.  I  must  hurry 
up,  for  I  have  a  much  bigger  load  to  carry  than  be- 
fore I  lay  down  and  drank  up  nearly  all  there  is  in 
that  stream." 

The  round,  full  moon  gave  more  help  than  he  ex- 
pected. While  most  of  the  wood  was  wrapped  in 
profound  gloom,  yet  there  were  places  where  some 
of  the  rays  splintered  through  and  aided  him  to 
keep  his  bearings.  Now  and  then  when  he  struck 
a  place  where  the  moonlight  had  full  power  he 
looked  at  his  compass,  and  was  gratified  in  every 
instance  to  find  that  his  course  was  about  due  east, 
his  deviation  being  so  slight  that  there  was  scarcely 
any  need  of  correction.  This  of  itself  was  an 
achievement,  for  when  a  person  is  lost  in  the  woods, 
or  is  travelling  at  night  without  the  help  of  land- 
marks or  guides,  he  finds  it  almost  impossible  to 
prevent  travelling  in  a  circle,  and  eventually  coming 
back  to  his  starting  point.  That  Ben  Mayberry 
effectually  guarded  against  this  tendency  was  only 
another  proof  of  the  excellence  of  the  training  re- 
ceived at  the  hands  of  Simon  Kenton,  the  greatest 
scout  of  them  all. 

When  the  youth  heard  a  crashing  among  the  trees 
on  his  left  he  gave  it  scarce  heed,  for  the  peculiarity 
of  the  sound  told  him  that  it  was  made  by  some 
quadruped,  most  likely  another  bear,  and  he  had  no 


THROUGH  MANY  PERILS,  1 69 

time  to  bother  with  such  trifles.  But  for  the  danger 
of  running  into  tree  trunks  and  obtruding  limbs,  he 
would  have  kept  up  a  loping  trot  for  several  hours. 

As  nearly  as  he  could  judge,  he  had  gone  a  half 
dozen  miles  farther  when  he  once  more  reached  a 
broad,  natural  clearing,  something  like  the  one  that 
had  delayed  him,  though  it  was  comparatively  free 
from  rocks  and  boulders.  It  extended  farther  to 
the  right  and  left  than  the  former,  and  he  paused  a 
moment  in  doubt  whether  to  proceed  directly  across 
or  to  flank  it,  and  thus  escape  discovery  from  any 
foe  in  the  vicinity. 

"  Nonsense!  "  he  exclaimed  to  himself;  "  those 
chaps  can't  be  everywhere ;  I  must  get  ahead  as  fast 
as  possible. 

So,  without  further  ado,  he  began  striding  across 
the  clear  space,  the  distance  to  the  other  side  being 
barely  a  hundred  paces.  There  seemed  little  risk 
in  the  course,  but  before  he  had  gone  half-way,  the 
young  Kentuckian  regretted  it,  and  would  have 
turned  back  had  it  been  possible  to  gain  anything 
by  so  doing.  But  he  hurried  on,  and  was  within  a 
few  rods  of  the  other  side,  when  a  voice  called  from 
the  line  of  shadow : 

"  Halt!  or  I  '11  shoot!" 

Ben  halted,  but  who  shall  describe  his  feelings 
when  he  recognized  the  voice  as  that  of  his  old  com- 
rade, George  Hardin  ? 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

AT  THE   LAKE. 

OEN  MAYBERRY  would  not  have  been  more 
■•— '  startled  had  the  sharp  summons  been  uttered 
by  the  Shavvanoe  warrior  or  the  half-breed  Wallah, 
from  whom  he  had  fled,  but  the  shock  was  that  of 
delight,  for  there  was  no  mistaking  the  voice  of  his 
old  friend,  George  HarHfn,  who,  afraid  of  a  mis- 
understanding, stepped  from  the  ribbon  of  shadow 
that  bordered  the  clearing  into  full  view. 

"  Are  you  glad  to  see  me,  Ben  ?  " 

"  Glad  to  see  you  ?  "  repeated  the  huppy  youth, 
rushing  forward,  dropping  his  rifle,  and  throwing 
his  arms  about  the  neck  of  his  comrade  in  a  trans- 
port of  pleasure;  "  I  was  never  so  happy  in  all  my 
life.     I  feared  I  should  never  see  you  again." 

"  And  I  felt  the  same  about  you,  though  I  knew 
that  if  any  one  could  take  care  of  himself  in  this 
dangerous  country,  you  were  the  person." 

And  you  have  shown  that  you  did  as  well  as  I ; 
thank  heaven!  " 

"  So  say  I." 

The  young  Kentuckian  picked  up  his  gun,  and 

170 


AT   THE  LAKE.  171 

the  two  walked  to  the  shadow  on  the  edge  of  the 
wood  where  they  paused.  There  was  no  reason  to 
believe  any  of  their  enemies  were  in  the  imme- 
diate vicinity,  and  they  talked  freely. 

"  How  is  it,"  asked  Ben,  "  that  you  are  so  far 
from  the  spot  where  we  parted  from  each  other  ?  " 

"  I  hated  to  give  up  my  hunt  for  you,  but  felt  it 
was  my  duty  to  make  all  haste  to  Fort  Stephenson 
with  the  message  of  General  Smith.  I  suppose  that 
is  the  reason  why  ^^«  are  here  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  I  prowled  around  the  place  for  awhile,  but 
could  n't  come  upon  any  sign  of  you ;  so  I  made  up 
my  mind  to  push  on  and  then  to  come  back  and 
make  a  hunt.  I  hoped  to  have  Kenton,  or  some  of 
our  friends,  to  help  me. " 

"  It  proves,  Ben,  that  it  is  always  the  safest  to  do 
your  duty ;  if  I  had  stayed  by  the  creek,  we  should 
not  have  met,  and  more  than  likely  I  should  have 
got  into  trouble,  and  it  would  have  been  the  same 
with  you,  but  here  we  are.  Did  you  hear  the  signal 
I  made  to  you  ?  " 

"  My  action  proved  that  I  did." 

"  What  did  you  think  I  meant  ? " 

"  What  could  I  think  but  that  it  was  a  warning 
to  me  to  stay  where  I  was  for  the  time  and  not  to 
try  to  follow  you  over  the  log  ?  What  was  it  you 
saw?" 

"  I  passed  over  the  fallen  tree,  as  you  know,  and 


172      TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES, 

turned  down  stream.  Just  then  a  rustling  in  the 
undergrowth  told  me  that  some  one  else  was  near. 
It  was  a  risky  thing  to  do,  but  I  knew  you  were  gone 
unless  you  were  warned,  so  I  made  the  signal  we 
agreed  upon,  and  began  stealing  from  the  danger 
spot.  To  do  that,  I  had  to  press  farther  into  the 
wood  and  away  from  you." 

"  Did  you  see  the  stranger  ?  " 

"  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  him,  and  who  do  you  sup- 
pose it  was  ? ' ' 

"  The  half-breed,  sometimes  called'  One-Eyed.'  " 

"  Wallah — yes,  it  was  he.  I  slipped  behind  a  tree 
just  in  time  to  escape  him,  for,  you  know  that  if 
one  of  us  can  see  a  scout  among  the  trunks,  he  has 
the  same  chance  of  seeing  us,  and  I  was  taking  des- 
perate chances." 

"  But  Wallah  claims  to  be  a  friend,^and  to  be  out 
on  a  scout  for  General  Smith." 

"  I  thought  of  all  that,  and  would  have  called  to 
him,  had  I  not  found  out  within  the  same  minute 
that  he  had  a  Shawanoe  with  him." 

"  They  must  have  been  the  same  couple  that 
came  so  near  getting  me." 

And  then  Ben  related  his  experience  after  sepa- 
rating from  his  friend. 

"  They  struck  my  trail  instead  of  yours,  and  I  had 
a  close  call." 

"  I  can't  understand  it;    there  I  was  tramping 


AT   THE  LAKE.  I73 

around  the  woods  almost  within  arm's  reach  of 
them,  while  you  were  on  the  other  side  of  the  creek 
and  crossed  at  a  point  quite  a  way  down  stream, 
yet  they  never  saw  my  footprints,  but  did  yours." 

"  It  was  accidental,  but  there  had  been  others 
moving  around  where  you  were,  and  the  rumpled 
leaves  did  not  show  that  the  tracks  were  those  of  a 
shoe  instead  of  a  moccasin.  I  must  have  stepped 
upon  the  soft  ground  in  some  place  and  left  so 
sharp  a  print  that  Wallah  knew  it  at  the  first  glance. 
We  have  learned  one  thing,  George :  Wallah  is  just 
what  Kenton  said, — a  spy  working  for  General 
Proctor." 

"  There  is  n't  any  doubt  of  that;  had  he  gained 
the  chance,  he  would  have  shot  both  of  us  on  sight." 

"  I  came  near  serving  him  in  the  same  way,  and 
think  I  should  have  done  it  but  for  that  Shawanoe, 
who  would  have  made  it  too  hot  for  me."      / 

"  Well,"  said  Hardin,  "  I  kept  edging  away  from 
the  place  until  I  was  well  out  of  their  sight.  Then 
I  turned  down  stream,  though  a  considerable  dis- 
tance from  it,  believing  you  would  come  over  and 
try  to  reach  the  fort." 

"  That  's  just  what  I  did  do,  but  our  course 
did  n't  cross,  or,  if  it  did,  neither  found  it  out." 

"  I  ventured  to  signal  to  you,  but  got  no  answer." 

*  *  We  were  too  far  apart  for  me  to  hear  it ;  I  gave 
up  all  hope  of  seeing  you  again  until  on  my  return 


S,    174      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

from  the  fort,  and,"  added  Ben,  with  a  sigh,  "  I 
was  afraid  that  we  should  never  meet  after  all." 

"  I  felt  much  the  same  way  about  you,  though  I 
guess  I  was  the  more  hopeful,  but  Ben  when  are 
we  to  reach  Major  Croghan  ?  " 

"  Never,  if  we  keep  this  up." 

Hardin  stepped  off  a  few  paces  into  the  full  flood 
of  moonlight  and  examined  his  pocket  compass. 

"  We  have  been  working  too  far  south;  strange 
that  we  should  both  make  the  same  mistake;  we 
must  bear  to  the  north;  let  's  be  off." 

Instead  of  walking  in  Indian  file,  which  would 
have  been  the  easier  course,  they  kept  beside  each 
other,  talking  in  low  tones,  with  intervals  of  silence 
and  listening.  There  was  no  reason  to  suspect  they 
were  near  any  of  their  enemies,  and  yet  it  was  pos- 
sible that  some  of  them  were  in  the  neighborhood, 
for  the  treacherous  Wallah  had  learned  hours  before 
that  at  least  one  white  person  was  travelling  through 
the  forest  from  the  direction  of  Fort  Meigs  to 
Fort  Stephenson,  and  the  cunning  miscreant  could 
scarcely  fail  to  suspect  his  business.  Not  only  he 
but  hi--  allies  would  do  all  they  could  to  prevent  the 
warning  reaching  Major  Croghan  ahead  of  the  force 
that  was  on  its  way  to  attack  the  garrison.  They 
had  a  long  stretch  of  country  to  cover  and  might  be 
miles  distant,  with  the  possibility  however,  that 
only  a  few  rods  separated  the  foes. 


V  AT   THE  LAKE.  I75 

It  has  been  explained  that  the  task  of  travelling 
at  night  through  an  unfamiliar  expanse  of  wilderness 
was  anything  but  easy,  and  the  progress  made  by 
the  youths  was  anything  but  satisfactory  to  their 
impatient  natures.  The  obtruding  limbs  brushed 
their  faces,  and  the  outstretched  hand  did  not  always 
give  notice  of  what  was  in  their  path.  Once  Hardin 
took  a  header  over  a  fallen  tree,  and  his  companion 
with  that  liveliness  of  spirits  natural  to  him,  laughed 
heartily  and  silently,  but  the  joke  was  against  him 
when  a  boulder  only  a  few  inches  in  height  caught 
his  toe  and  sent  him  sprawling,  despite  his  frantic 
effort  to  save  himself.  Had  the  circumstances  been 
different,  they  would  have  given  up  the  work  and 
lain  by  until  they  had  the  light  of  the  sun  to  help 
them. 

With  grim  pluck,  however,  they  kept  at  it  until 
they  knew  the  greater  part  of  the  night  was  gone 
and  they  had  placea  a  goodly  number  of  miles  be- 
hind them.  The  extent  covered  may  have  been 
much  less  than  they  desired,  but  it  counted,  and 
might  prove  enough  to  decide  the  question  of  suc- 
cess or  failure. 

"Well,  I  declare!" 

The  exclam  tion  was  uttered  in  an  undertone  by 

Hardin,  who,  happening  to  be  one  or  two  paces  in 

advance  of  his  companion,  came  upon  a  body  of 

water  that  brought  both  to  an  abrupt  halt.     It  was 

/ 


1/6      TECUM SEir,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

not  a  stream  such  as  had  checked  them  the  preced- 
ing day,  but  appeared  to  be  a  pond  or  small  lake, 
several  hundred  feet  in  width,  and  extending  beyond 
their  range  of  vision  on  the  right  and  left.  In- 
terposing directly  across  their  line  of  advance,  it 
looked  as  if  the)'  had  but  the  one  way  of  continuing 
their  journey,  which  was  by  crossing  the  stretch  of 
water. 

"  I  wonder  how  far  this  reaches,"  was  the  ques- 
tioning remark  of  Ben;  "  if  it  is  a  lake,  as  it  seems 
to  be,  it  can't  be  very  far  to  one  end  of  it;  shall  we 
turn  to  the  right  or  left  ?  " 

Recalling  that  they  had  been  trending  southward, 
Hardin  replied : 

"  Let  's  try  the  left ;  that  will  bring  us  nearer  the 
right  course  to  reach  the  fort." 

As  he  spoke,  he  made  the  change  indicated,  with 
his  comrade  at  his  heels,  neither  forgetting  the  need 
of  precaution  in  their  every  movement.  Naturally, 
they  did  not  suppose  they  would  have  to  go  far  be- 
fore reaching  the  upper  terminus  of  the  body  of 
water,  around  which  they  could  readily  pass  and 
continue  their  journey  to  the  post  that  was  still  a 
long  way  in  advance ;  but,  to  thefr  astonishment,  at 
the  end  ot  half  an  hour  there  were  no  signs  of  a  nar- 
rowing of  the  lake,  of  which  they  had  never  heard. 
They  halted  again. 

"  I  wonder  if  this  is  a  part  of  Lake  Erie,"  said 


AT   THE  LAKE.  I77 

Ben;  "  if  it  is,  we  shall  be  a  good  deal  older  before 
we  see  the  other  side." 

"  That  is  impossible,"  replied  his  companion, 
who  knew  the  other  was  jesting;  "  but  it  looks  to 
me  as  if  the  best  thing  for  us  to  do  is  to  swim 
across;  it  is  not  far,  and  there  's  no  saying  how 
much  farther  we  shall  have  to  tramp  to  pass  around 
it." 

Ben  looked  to  the  southward. 

"  It  is  a  pity  we  did  not  go  that  way,  but  we  have 
come  so  far  we  have  no  time  to  do  it  now." 

It  was  a  serious  question,  and  they  stood  for  some 
minutes  debating  it.  The  swim  was  considerable, 
but  they  had  no  fear,  and  began  to  prepare  them- 
selves by  fastening  their  heavy  guns  to  their  backs, 
with  the  stocks  protruding  as  far  as  possible,  so  as 
to  protect  the  charges  from  the  water.  Before, 
however,  the  venture  was  made,  they  were  checked 
by  a  surprising  incident. 

The  moon  was  now  so  far  over  in  the  sky  that  the 
shadow  extended  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
shore  on  which  they  were  standing,  while  the  oppo- 
site bank  was  clearly  revealed.  It  was  Hardin  who 
first  detected  something  moving,  whose  identity  for 
some  minutes  he  could  not  make  out.  He  touched 
the  arm  of  his  companion  and  whispered  a  warning 
to  him.  Though  both  were  screened  by  the  shadow, 
they  instinctively  recoiled,  as  if  afraid  of  being  dis- 

ta 


■:\'':^v 


178      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

covered  by  their  enemies,  some  of  whom  were  evi- 
dently  on  the  other  side. 

While  watqhing  and  wondering,  they  were  aston- 
ished to  observe  a  small  Indian  canoe  put  out  from 
the  fringe  of  undergrowth  and  head  toward  them. 
Two  persons  were  in  it,  one  r  f  whom  plied  the  long 
Indian  paddle  with  a  quiet  deliberation  that  showed 
they  were  under  no  fear  that  any  danger  threatened 

them. 

Neither  youth  spoke,  but,  knowing  they  were 
screened  from  view,  they  attentively  studied  the 
approaching  craft  and  its  inmates,  which  followed  a 
line  so  exact  that  a  meeting  was  inevitable  unless  a 
change  of  relative  position  took  place.  When  the 
canoe  was  half-way  across,  the  young  men  recog- 
nized  the  occupants  as  Wallah,  the  one-eyed  half- 
breed,  and  the  Shawanoe  who  had  caused  them  so 
much  trouble  the  day  before.  Fate  seemed  to  have 
ordered    that   the   couple   should   still  harass  our 

friends. 

"  We   can't   miss,"    whispered    Ben   Mayberry  ; 

"  let 'spick  off  both."  ' 

Hardin  was  no  less  inclined  to  adopt  this  sum- 
mary course,  but  hesitated  through  fear  that  others 
of  their  enemies  were  near.  It  impressed  both  as 
curious  that  the  two  should  have  reached  the  other 
side  of  the  lake  ahead  of  them,  and  their  course  in 
turning  back  in  the  canoe  was  inexplicable. 


AT   THE  LAKE.  1 79 

"  Wait  a  little,"  said  Hardin,  observing  that  his 
companion  had  "  unshipped  "  his  weapon  and  was 
about  to  bring  it  to  a  level;  "  there  may  be  others 
near." 

"  What  of  it  ?    We  can  keep  out  of  their  way." 

"  Hold  on,  Ben;  we  mustn't  do  anything  rash ; 
we  shall  have  to  shift  our  own  quarters." 

This  was  self-evident,  and  they  carefully  moved 
among  the  undergrowth  until  several  rods  distant 
from  the  point  at  which  the  boat  was  heading. 
Then  they  stopped  and  watched  their  foes. 

The  Shawanoe  was  seated  at  the  stern,  facing  the 
shore  toward  which  he  was  drawing  near.  His  rifle 
lay  across  his  knees,  and  so  far  as  the  paint  on  his 
countenance  permitted  one  to  see  in  the  moonlight, 
he  was  as  calm  and  imperturbable  as  if  posing  for  a 
picture.  The  Wyandot  half-breed  also  faced  the 
shore  he  was  drawing  near,  and  propelled  the  canoe 
by  dipping  his  long,  ashen  paddle  first  on  one  side 
and  then  on  the  other.  Such  frail  craft  are  easily 
moved,  and  the  effort  was  too  gentle  to  suggest 
work. 

Had  Ben  Mayberry  and  George  Hardin  chose  to 
bring  their  guns  to  their  shoulders,  they  could  have 
slain  the  miscreants  without  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 
The  young  Kentuckian  was  eager  to  do  so,  but  his 
companion  refused  to  join  him  in  the  act,  and  Ben 
was  too  prudent  to  incur  the  risk  alone.     It  would 


l8o      -^ECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

have  been  hard  for  Hardin  to  explain  his  self- 
restraint,  and  could  he  have  foreseen  the  events  of 
the  next  few  hours,  he  would  have  been  more 
anxious  than  his  friend  to  give  the  wretches  their 
full  dues. 

Ben  lowered  his  weapon  with  a  muttered  protest 
and  watched  the  couple,  who  were  now  on  the  edge 
of  the  band  of  shadow  that  put  out  from  the  western 
bank.  They  could  be  dimly  seen  as  they  left  the 
canoe  and  drew  it  up  the  bank,  where  there  was  no 
danger  of  its  being  swept  away  by  the  action  of  the 
water.  Rather  curiously,  neither  spoke,  but  plunged 
among  the  trees  and  picked  their  way  through  the 
bushes  to  the  westward.  In  the  profound  stillness 
their  movements  could  be  heard,  for  they  made  no 
effort  to  suppress  the  slight  noise  caused  by  brush- 
ing against  the  limbs  and  undergrowth.  In  a  few 
minutes  the  stillness  was  as  profound  as  before. 

An  idea  came  to  Ben. 

"  What  's  the  use  of  swimming  when  there  *s  a 
boat  waiting  for  us  ?  "  ' 

It  was  a  tempting  chance,  though  manifestly  a 
dangerous  one.  Nothing  was  more  likely  than  that 
Wallah  and  the  Shawanoe  would  return  and  ur.e  the 
canoe.  Should  they  do  so,  while  the  youths  were 
in  it,  the  late  situation  would  be  reversed,  and  our 
friends  would  be  at  the  mercy  of  their  foes ;  but,  on 
the  other  hand,  it  was  not  probable  that  they  would 


A       THE  LAKE.  l8l 

show  up  for  a  little  while — at  any  rate  not  before 
Ben  and  George  could  make  use  of  the  unexpected 
convenience  thrown  in  their  way. 

"  We  '11  do  it,"  was  the  reply  of  Hardin,  who 
took  but  a  minute  to  reach  the  spot  where  the  c-aft 
lay.  It  was  shoved  softly  back  into  the  water,  and 
George  picked  up  the  paddle,  while  Ben  seated  him- 
self at  one  end  after  the  manner  of  the  Shawanoe 
who  had  been  ferried  across  under  their  eyes. 

Now  that  the  risky  course  had  been  entered  upon, 
Hardin  took  no  chances  that  could  be  avoided.  In- 
stead of  heading  directly  out  into  the  lake,  he  silently 
paddled  for  a  hundred  feet  along  the  shore,  keeping 
well  within  the  line  of  shadow.  Then  when  he 
thought  he  had  gone  far  enough,  he  turned  the 
prow  outward  and  headed  for  the  other  shore. 

Even  this  precaution  would  not  have  availed  had 
the  others  returned  before  the  canoe  reached  the 
farther  side,  but  it  added  a  slight  degree  of  protec- 
tion to  the  daring  act.  Ben  kept  his  head  turned 
while  he  scanned  the  shore  they  were  leaving, 
though  a  score  of  Shawanoes  might  have  ap- 
proached without  detection,  since  he  and  George 
were  effectually  screened  against  discovery  when 
the  situation  was  reversed ;  but  under  the  vigorous 
propulsion  of  the  muscular  arms  of  Hardin,  the 
canoe  skimmed  like  a  swallow  over  the  placid  sur- 
face, and  in  a  briefer  while  than  would  be  supposed, 


1 82       TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAIVANOES. 

glided  into  the  line  of  protecting  shadow,  and  the 
youths  drew  a  sigh  of  relief.  A  minute  later  both 
had  stepped  ashore. 

"  George,"  said  the  young  Kentuckian  in  a 
guarded  undertone,  "  you  remember  my  canoe  with 
which  we  used  to  cross  the  Ohio  ?  " 

"Yes." 

"  And  how  some  of  the  Shawanoes  cut  and  hacked 
it  to  pieces  ?  ' " 

"  Of  course." 

"  Why  not  return  the  compliment.? " 
.    "I  don't  suppose  that  Wallah  and  his  companion 
were  the  guilty  ones." 

"  What  of  that  ?  When  a  white  man  does  an  in- 
jury to  an  Indian,  the  warrior  evens  up  things  by 
banging  away  at  the  first  pale  face  he  can  draw  a 
bead  on.  We  don't  know  that  the  couple  own  this 
craft,  but  it  belongs  to  some  of  them,  so  it  's  all  the 
same  to  us." 

"  I  *m  agreeable." 

It  took  them  but  a  fe\ '  minutes  with  their  sharp 
knives  to  slit  and  carve  the  canoe  so  that  it  could 
never  again  be  of  any  use.  The  youths  contemplated 
their  work  with  no  little  satisfaction. 

"  I  only  hope  the  Shawanoe  had  something  to  do 
with  cutting  up  my  boat,"  said  Ben,  "  for  then 
he  'II  understand  what  this  means." 

"  There   is  n't    much    likelihood    of    that  ;    it 


AT  THE  LAKE.  183 

was  a  good  many  miles  from  here,  and  two  years 
ago." 

"  But  these  Shawanoes  are  mousing  everywhere, 
and " 

The  speaker  did  not  need  the  warning  "  Sh!  "  of 
his  companion  to  cease  the  words  which  were 
uttered  in  such  low  tones  that  the  sentence  might 
have  been  finished  without  danger  of  being  over- 
heard. 

It  was  the  sound  of  something  moving  among  the 
undergrowth  near  at  hand  that  gave  both  a  start. 
The  Indians,  if  such  they  were,  would  be  upon  them 
before  they  could  get  out  of  their  way;  but  the 
next  moment  they  knew  the  noise  was  not  made  by 
any  of  their  enemies.  Some  sort  of  a  wild  animal 
was  making  his  way  to  the  edge  of  the  lake  within 
a  few  feet  of  them.  It  was  easy  to  locate  him,  and 
while  watching  the  spot  where  he  was  to  appear,  a 
bear  lumbered  into  sight  and  began  lapping  the 
water  after  the  manner  of  a  dog. 

"  I  '11  bet  that  's  the  same  animal  that  I  met  near 
the  creek;  it  must  belong  to  Wallah,  and  is  follow- 
ing him." 

"  That  can't  be,"  replied  Hardin,  "  for  that 
creature  was  killed;  I  saw  his  body  in  the  wood; 
bears  seem  to  be  plentiful  in  this  part  of  the  world." 

Possibly  the  brute  heard  the  soft  whispering  so 
near  him,  since  the  youths  did  not  take  pains  to 


v 


1 84      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

prevent  it,  for  he  turned  his  head  and  looked  toward 
them.  It  is  hardly  to  be  supposed  that  he  saw 
them  as  they  shrank  among  the  shadows,  but,  if  he 
did,  he  gave  them  no  further  attention.  Stepping 
into  the  water,  he  sank  until  only  his  snout  and  the 
upper  part  of  his  head  were  visible,  when,  with  a 
grunting  snort,  he  began  swimming  across. 

Ben  Mayberry  was  amused. 

"  Can  it  be  that  he  was  looking  for  the  canoe  to 
paddle  to  the  other  side  ?  " 

"  If  he  was,  he  spent  little  time  in  the  hunt." 

"  If  Wallah  and  his  friend  meet  the  bear,  will 
they  think  it  was  he  that  chewed  up  their  canoe  ?  " 

"If  they  examine  its  remains,  they  won't." 
.  "  Will  they  suspect  we  did  it  ?  " 
■„  "  Either  we  or  some  one  who  does  n't  love  them," 
was  the  reply  of  Hardin;  "  but  come,  we  are  loiter- 
ing again,  and  there  are  a  good  many  miles  to  be 
passed  before  we  reach  Fort  Stephenson,  and  the 
night  must  be  well  along. "  ' 


HARDIN,  BEN  AND   TIIR   CANOE. 


Page  184. 


(^ 


CHAPTER   XIV. 

SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT. 

BEN  MAYBERRY  and  George  Hardin  made  an 
interesting  discovery  within  ten  minutes  after 
leaving  the  side  of  the  lake.  Instead  of  picking 
their  way  blindly  through  the  gloomy  wood,  they 
were  following  a  well-marked  path.  Without  any 
thought  or  intention  on  their  part,  they  had  stepped 
into  it,  and  found  the  travelling  comparatively  easy 
as  contrasted  with  that  which  had  delayed  them 
since  set  of  sun. 

But  it  could  not  be  said  whether  this  was  an  ad- 
vantage or  not.  The  fact  that  it  was  a  path  was 
proof  that  it  was  used  by  others,  and,  whoever  such 
parties  might  be,  they  could  not  be  looked  upon  as 
friends.  The  trail  was  probably  made  by  settlers 
long  before  the  present  war,  but  with  a  powerful 
army  in  the  neighborhood  and  the  hostile  Indians 
moving  back  and  forth,  it  would  be  a  perilous  thing 
for  an  American  to  pass  over  it. 

And  yet  the  youths  chafed  so  much  under  their 
tardy  progress  that  they  decided  to  make  use  for  a 
time  of  the  facility.     They  could  proceed  so  stealth- 

185 


I  86      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  Of  THE  SHAWANOES. 

ily  as  not  to  betray  themselves,  while  by  alertness 
they  ought  to  detect  the  approach  of  any  foe  before 
he  discovered  them. 

The  trail  was  so  narrow  that  the  two  were  now 
obliged  to  walk  in  Indian  file.  Hardin  took  the 
lead,  with  his  comrade  so  near  that  he  could  almost 
reach  him  by  extending  his  arm.  Conversation 
ceased,  for  there  was  not  only  no  need  of  it,  but  it 
was  dangerous  in  the  highest  degree. 

The  night  was  far  advanced  and  there  was  no 
time  to  throw  away.  The  messengers  had  counted 
upon  being  many  miles  farther  over  the  road,  and 
could  only  succeed  in  their  mission  by  improving 
their  time.  Hardin  kept  one  hand  extended  in 
front,  for  the  tree  branches  were  continually  ob- 
truding across  the  path,  and  some  of  the  limbs  were 
thick  enough  to  hurt  when  they  switched  his  face 
or  thrust  themselves  under  his  chin.  Actin^x  thus 
as  a  guide  for  his  companion,  who  was  so  near,  he 
saved  him  considerable  annoyance. 

The  profound  stillness  was  not  the  least  impres- 
sive feature  of  the  strange  scene.  At  times  the 
hollow  silence  was  like  the  far-away  murmur  of  the  , 
ocean.  Then  the  bark  of  a  wolf  sounded  at  one 
side,  and  once  the  faint  report  of  a  gun  stole  through 
the  arches  from  a  point  that  seemed  miles  distant. 
Amid  this  deep  solitude  were  human  beings  seeking 
one  another's  lives,  just  as  they  have  always  done 


SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  1 87 

and  still  do  in  the  homes  of  civilization.  There 
were  hundreds  of  men,  many  of  their  own  race, 
who  would  have  eagerly  embraced  the  chance  to  lay 
the  valiant  youths  low,  for  no  other  reason  than 
that  they  were  doing  all  they  could  to  save  a  gallant 
little  band  from  massacre.  So  goes  the  world  for- 
ever. 

It  was  a  cause  of  satisfaction  when  the  youths 
knew  that  the  path  had  enabled  them  to  traverse  a 
number  of  miles  in  far  less  time  than  they  expected, 
and  they  were  still  pressing  onward  when  Ben  May- 
berry  bumped  against  his  friend,  because  the  latter 
without  warning  had  come  to  an  abrupt  stop. 

"  Did  you  hear  anything  ?  "  asked  Hardin,  turn- 
ing his  head  part  way  round,  so  as  to  speak  over  his 
shoulder. 
-     "No;  did  you  ?" 

"  I  thought  so,  but  I 'm  not  sure."  - 

Like  a  couple  of  statues  the  friends  held  their 
pose  for  tv/o  or  three  minutes,  during  which  no 
sound  reached  them  except  the  soft  sighing  of  the 
wind  through  the  branches.  The  moon  was  now 
far  down  in  the  sky,  and  nowhere  could  be  per- 
ceived the  first  ariowy  beam  shooting  through  the 
dense  vegetation. 
"  I  guess  it  was  nothing,"  finally  ventured  Ben. 
"  Likely  enough,"  returned  the  guide,  who  re- 
sumed his  walking  at  a  more  rapid  pace  than  before, 


1 88      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

for  he  begrudged  even  the  few  minutes  that  had 
been  wasted.  Not  wishing  to  have  another  col- 
lision, and  believing  that  danger  was  as  likely  to 
come  from  one  direction  as  the  other,  the  young 
Kentuckian  fell  back  a  few  paces  and  gave  his  at- 
tention to  the  rear,  leaving  his  companion  to  look 
to  the  front.  By  turning  his  head  sideways,  Ben 
was  confident  he  could  detect  the  approach  of  any 
one  from  that  direction,  provided  the  stranger  held 
no  suspicion  that  the  parties  were  in  front  of  him 
and  took  unusual  care  to  prevent  discovery. 

Hardin  was  sure  that  the  position  of  peril  be- 
longed to  hin  because  if  there  was  any  one  ap- 
proaching from  the  rear,  it  was  not  likely  he  would 
travel  faster  than  themselves,  and  therefore  would 
not  overtake  them.  A  half-mile  farther,  and  he 
stopped  with  the  same  suddenness  as  before,  warn- 
ing his  companion  by  a  low,  sibilant  sound  to  be  on 
his^guard,  since  they  could  detect  only  the  faintest 
outlines  of  each  other  when  almost  in  contact.  Ben 
understood  him,  and  came  stealthily  forward. 

"  What  is  it,  George?" 

"I  tell  you,  there  's  some  one  else  in  the  path," 

"  If  it  's  the  one  you  heard  before,  he  must  be 
going  in  our  direction,  or  we  should  have  met  him." 

"  Is  it  all  quiet  at  the  rear  ? " 

„    "  So  far  as  I  can  tell."  ._^.._./_^^^:^,._^..,,^^:^'^y:.-,r^.^ .^_:i 

■-  "  Listen!" 


SHADOIVS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  1 89 

But  the  attentive  ears  detected  nothing  more  than 
the  almost  inaudible  rustling  of  the  leaves.  One  re- 
course remained  to  them.  Hardin  knelt  down  and 
pressed  his  ear  to  the  ground.  In  a  second  he  was 
on  his  feet  again. 

"  Ther«  's  somebody  else  going  over  this  path;  I 
am  sure  of  it,"  he  whispered. 

Without  replying,  Ben  did  as  his  friend  had  just 
done,  and  instantly  perceived  he  was  right.  He 
caught  faintly  but  distinctly  the  sound,  not  of  an 
animal,  but  of  a  man  walking  over  the  trail  in  front 
of  them.  Lifting  his  head,  the  youth  heard  nothing, 
proving  that  the  stranger  was  not  very  near.  Then 
he  again  put  his  ear  to  the  ground. 

The  peculiar  throbbing  came  to  him,  but  it  was 
perceptibly  fainter  than  before.  Whoever  was  using 
the  trail  was  going  in  the  same  direction  with  them- 
selves, and  consequently  away  from  them.  .g; 

"  You  're  right,  George,  but  if  the  fellow  doesn't 
stop  and  wait  for  us,  or  we  don't  go  any  faster  than  we 
are  now  going, we  need  n't  pay  any  attention  to  him. 

"  It  looks  as  if  we  are  travelling  at  the  same  rate, 
for  it  must  have  been  he  that  I  heard  a  few  minutes 
ago.  We  can  keep  a  lookout  for  him,  unless  he 
happens  to  learn  that  we  are  behind  him." 

The  youths  resumed  their  journey,  Hardin  still  in 
the  lead.  They  kept  the  same  space  between  them 
and  were  as  alert  and  watchful  as  ever,  because  of 


IQO      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

which  fact  Ben  signalled  to  his  companion  to  wait  a 
moment  while  he  resorted  to  the  artifice  he  had 
used  before.  George  kept  his  feet  while  the  other 
knelt  just  behind  him. 

"  It  's  somebody  else  this  time,"  remarked  the 
young  Kentuckian,  raising  his  head,  but  remaining 
on  his  hands  and  knees. 

"  How  can  you  know  that  ?  " 

"  Because  the  sound  comes  from  the  rear.' 

George  was  on  the  ground  in  a  twinkling. 

"  You  are  right;  let  us  step  aside  until  he  passes; 
it  sounds  to  me  as  if  there  is  only  one  of  them." 

It  was  proof  of  the  impatience  of  the  young  men 
that  they  hurriedly  walked  some  distance  farther 
before  silently  stepping  from  the  trail  and  crouching 
in  the  impenetrable  gloom. 

They  were  not  kept  waiting  long.  In  a  few 
minutes  a  footfall  was  heard  as  if  a  man  was  walking 
fast,  though  not  running.  The  youths  tried  to 
pierce  the  darkness  as  the  stranger  came  opposite, 
but  failed  to  catch  so  much  as  a  shadowy  glimpse 
of  his  figure,  which  passed  in  a  twinkling  The  two 
kept  their  places  as  the  footfalls  rapidly  grew  fainter 
and  soon  died  out.     Then  they  rose  to  their  feet. 

"  It  seems  curious,"  remarked  Ben,  in  his  guarded 
manner,  "  that  there  should  be  only  one  Indian." 

"  You  don't  know  that  it  is  an  Indian,  and  if  it 
is,  there  may  be  others  not  far  away." 


SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  I9I 

"  Let  's  be  off  again;  if  he  puts  his  ear  to  the 
ground,  as  we  did,  he  will  detect  and  wait  for  us." 
.  Nevertheless  they  lost  no  more  time  through  this 
possible  danger.  After  going  a  short  distance,  they 
applied  the  test,  and  did  not  know  whether  to  be 
alarmed  by  the  fact  that  they  heard  nothing  like  a 
footstep.  Again  the  report  of  a  gun  sounded  from 
the  left  as  before,  but  it  was  a  long  way  off,  and 
they  gave  it  no  attention. 

All  of  a  mile  was  passed,  when  Ben  for  the  third 
time  after  the  last  start  used  the  better  conductor 
of  sound,  while  George  as  before  awaited  his  report. 

"  Do  you  hear  anything  ?  " 

"  Yes;  there  are  more  of  them." 

Hardin  was  on  his  knees  again. 

"  We  seem  to  be  running  into  a  nest  of  our 
enemies ;  it  looks  as  if  we  shall  have  to  leave  the 
path  altogether;  let  's  go  a  little  farther  before 
waiting  for  them  to  go  by." 

A  little  way  farther  they  reached  a  more  favor- 
able spot,  for  the  trees  were  open,  and  a  few  of  the 
moonbeams  found  their  way  to  the  trail.  Carefully 
ensconcing  themselves  in  the  dense  gloom  at  the 
right,  they  stooped  down  and  waited.  They  had 
the  satisfaction  of  now  knowing  that  whoever  went 
by  would  be  partly  revealed,  for  he  must  pass 
through  the  glinting  moonlight. 

The  sounds  which  soon  fell  upon  their  ears  showed 


192      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

that  more  than  one  person  was  drawing  near,  and 
they  were  doing  so  at  a  faster  gait  than  a  walk. 
With  feelings  which  perhaps  may  be  imagined,  they 
suddenly  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  man  going  at  a 
loping  trot  over  the  trail,  as  if  there  were  no  such 
thing  as  projecting  limbs  or  obstructions,  and,  fleet- 
ing as  was  the  sight  of  him,  the  youths  recognized 
the  fellow  as  Wallah,  the  one-eyed  Wyandot  half- 
breed. 

Close  behind  him  loped  his  Shawanoe  companion, 
the  speed  of  the  two  being  so  similar  that  they 
maintained  a  distance  of  less  than  ten  feet  apart. 
They  were  hardly  seen,  when  they  glided  from 
view,  though  the  soft,  rhythmic  pounding  of  their 
moccasins  reached  the  youths  for  several  moments. 
Then  they  applied  their  ears  to  the  ground ;  it  was 
heard  again,  finally  dying  out  altogether. 

"  Now,  what  can  that  mean  ?"  asked  Ben;  "  it 
looks  to  me  as  if  those  two  scamps  are  chasing  the 
one  that  went  by  ahead  of  them." 

"  If  so,  he  does  n't  know  it." 

"Why  not?" 

"  If  he  knew  he  had  pursuers  on  his  track,  he 
would  either  run  or  turn  off  from  the  trail  as  we 
have  done." 

"  It  can't  be  they  ar«  friends,  or  they  would  have 
signalled  to  each  other."       -  -        - 

"  Who  is  the  man  in  front  ?  "    :^::,.^^_._^^:l._l:a,..,}l.'-.^/.:_.: 


SfrADOlVS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  I93 

It  was  a  significant  question,  but  neither  youth 
could  so  much  as  guess  his  identity  except  that 
probably  he  belonged  to  their  own  race. 

"  Now  if  we  were  farther  north,  I  should  say  it 
was  Perkins,  for  you  know  the  understanding  was 
that  he  was  to  pass  above  Proctor  while  we  took  the 
course  to  the  south.  It  must  be  another  of  the 
scouts." 

"  We  are  taking  it  for  granted  that  the  two  are 
chasing  the  one,  when  we  may  be  wrong.  At  any 
rate,  if  the  first  man  is  one  of  our  scouts,  he  ought 
to  be  smart  enough  to  find  out  the  truth  as  we  did." 

"It  is  'nt  going  to  be  such  an  easy  job  as  we 
thought  to  get  through  to  Fort  Stephenson,"  said 

Ben. 

"  We  have  found  it  anything  but  easy  ever  since 
we  started;  it  must  be  that  Proctor  or  Tecumseh 
expects  some  such  attempts  as  we  are  making,  and 
he  is  taking  every  means  to  head  us  off.'' 

It  was  certainly  singular  that  after  these  striking 

occurrences  the  youths  progressed  for  a  full  hour 

over  the  trail  without  hearing  or  seeing  anything  to 

cause  alarm.     They  did  not  allow  more  than  a  few 

minutes  to  pass  without  pausing  and  holding  an  ear 

to  the  earth,  but  everything  remained  as  profoundly 

quiet  as  if  they  were' the  only  living  persons  within 

miles.  ^ ,^.  -  ^  -  ,--.  -_,^ 

At  the  end  of  the  time  mentioned,  they  made  the 
-13 


194      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

discovery  that  the  night  was  at  an  end.  There  was 
a  gradual  lightening  of  the  gloom  which  could  be 
due  but  to  one  cause.  By-and-by  the  column-like 
trunks  stood  out  in  clearer  view,  and  Hardin  could 
see  the  branches  in  front  of  his  face.  The  gray, 
misty  light  increased,  until  night  fled  away  and  the 
bright,  life-giving  sun  was  in  the  horizon. 

"  George,  I  'm  hungry,"  was  the  first  remark  of 
the  young  Kentuckian,  as  he  drew  up  beside  his 
guide. 

"  So  am  I,  but  what  are  we  going  to  do  about  it? 
I  ate  every  particle  of  my  lunch  yesterday  after- 
noon," 

' '  So  did  I ;  we  shall  have  to  wait  until  we  reach 
Fort  Stephenson,  and  that  won't  be  for  some  time 
yet;  how  far  do  you  fancy  we  have  come  ?  " 

Hardin  removed  his  cap  and  ran  his  fingers 
thoughtfully  through  his  curly  hair,  looking  around 
at  the  trees  as  if  searching  for  the  answer  among 
them. 

"  It  is  hard  to  tell,  but  I  think  we  have  covered 
half  the  distance." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  is  less  than  that,  but  we  have 
made  good  time  since  we  came  together,  and  we 
ought  to  be  there  early  in  the  afternoon." 

"  So  we  shall,  if  we  can  keep  clear  of  the  Shawa- 
noes  and  Wyandots.  It  strikes  me  it  is  about  time 
for  Wallah  and  his  friend  to  turn  up  again." 


SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  1 95 

Both  glanced  furtively  around  them,  but  they 
were  alone.  The  path  showed  distinctly,  and  evi- 
dently at  no  distant  day  it  hc"d  been  freely  used. 

"  There  must  be  some  settlers  in  this  neighbor- 
hood," said  Hardin;  "  Ohio  has  been  a  State  for 
nearly  a  dozen  years,  and  has  lots  of  settlements 
and  villages  and  some  pretty  fair-sized  uowns. " 

"  Of  course,"  replied  Ben;  "  and  this  is  a  portion 
that  has  suffered  little  from  the  Indians,  at  least  not 
since  we  can  remember;  I  have  never  been  as  far 
north,  and  am  therefore  lost,  but  there  are  a  good 
many  of  our  countrymen  in  Ohio." 

"And  a  good  many  who  are  not,"  said  the  young 
Ohioan,  compressing  his  lips,  while  his  gray  eyes 
flashed;  "but  General  Harrison  will  soon  drive 
them  out,  and  we  must  give  him  what  help  we  can." 

With  which  resolution,  Hardin,  having  replaced 
his  cap,  strode  off  once  more  to  the  eastward.  It 
will  be  remembered  that  the  two  had  been  travel- 
ling with  hardly  a  stop  during  the  whole  of  the 
night.  They  had  excuse  for  being  tired,  and  it  can- 
not be  denied  that  they  felt  the  effects  of  the  long 
tramp,  but  they  did  not  intend  to  spare  themselves. 
Rugged,  strong,  aiid  blessed  with  perfect  health, 
they  were  capable  ot  keeping  at  it,  despite  their 
hunger  and  weariness.  Exasperating  delays  had 
hindered  them  at  first,  but  despite  all,  they  had 
accomplished   a   creditable    distance,   and   as  both 


196      TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SI/AWANOES. 

agreed,  they  hac'  strong  hope  of  reaching  Major 
Croghan  in  time  to  apprise  him  of  his  danger. 

A  Httle  farther  and  the  path  was  crossed  by  a 
rivulet  of  sparkling,  clear  water.  They  stooped  and 
drank  their  fill  from  it,  after  which  they  bathed  their 
faces  and  hands,  and  sat  down  on  the  leafy  ground 
for  a  brief  rest.  They  were  but  a  few  paces  to  the 
right  of  the  trail,  which  was  in  plain  view.  The  sun 
was  above  the  horizon,  and  its  glad  light  filled  the 
forest  with  the  promise  of  a  day  as  clear  and  sultry 
as  the  previous  one  had  been. 

Hardin  rose  to  his  feet,  yawned  and  looked  around 
him  with  the  keen  scrutiny  of  a  veteran  woodsman, 
who  does  not  allow  a  point  to  escape  his  vision. 

"  Ben,  I  may  be  wrong,  but  it  looks  to  me  as  if 
the  country  is  more  open  in  front;  what  do  you 
think?" 

The  young  Kentuckian  rose  and  looked  search- 
ingly  in  the  direction  indicated,  and  then  toward 
other  points  of  the  compass. 

"  You  are  right;  there  is  something  ahead  that  is 
interesting." 

He  stepped  back  to  the  trail,  and  for  the  first  time 
led  the  way.  The  trees  in  front  grew  more  scat- 
tered, and,  before  they  expected  it,  they  emerged 
into  a  long  stretch  of  cultivated  land,  where  people 
were  living,  or  had  been  up  to  a  recent  date. 

Bui  the  sight  was  a  sad  one.     The  corn  had  been 


SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  1 97 

trampled  down,  fruit  trees  hacked  to  the  ground, 
the  buildings  burned,  and  devastation,  wreck,  and 
ruin  were  on  every  hand.  Evidently  the  inviting 
spot  had  been  visited  by  the  Indians  or  some  of  the 
raiding  parties  of  Proctor,  who  played  sad  havoc 
with  all  they  saw.  The  soil  that  had  been  under 
cultivation  numbered  fully  a  score  of  acres,  and 
where  it  was  so  fertile  it  would  have  yielded  an 
abundant  harvest  had  the  spoiler  remained  away. 

That  his  visit  was  recent  was  proven  by  the  thin 
wreaths  of  blue  smoke  that  were  curling  upward 
from  the  charred  timbers  of  the  nearest  dwelling. 
Cattle,  horses,  fowls,  and  every  living  thing  were 
missing.  These  all  formed  valuable  booty  to  the 
enemy,  who  made  it  his  practice  to  live  off  the 
country  through  which  he  was  passing. 

The  youths  stood  for  some  minutes  silently  con- 
templating the  melancholy  scene.  Here  before 
their  eyes  was  shown  some  of  the  barbarities  of  war 
and  of  the  ruin  wrought  by  the  enemies  of  their  be- 
loved country.  Their  eyes  flashed  at  the  thought, 
and  glad  indeed  would  they  have  been  for  the  op- 
portunity of  striking  a  lusty  blow  in  defence  of  their 
afflicted  neighbors,  who  were  unfortunate  enough  to 
live  within  reach  of  those  who  knew  naught  of 
chivalry  or  mercy. 

But  as  their  eyes  wandered  over  the  pathetic  scene, 
they  rested  upon  something  that  interested  and  sur- 


198      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

prised  them.  Beyond  the  smouldering  ruins  of  the 
farmer's  house  and  outbuildings  was  a  second  cabin, 
apparently  that  of  a  near  neighbor  of  the  first,  which 
showed  no  appearance  of  injury.  The  low  structure 
of  logs  was  as  firm  as  when  it  was  completed,  and 
the  roof,  walls,  and  doors  were  new  and  sound. 

"  That  is  curious,"  remarked  Ben  Mayberry,  peer- 
ing across  the  devastated  fields;  "  why  should  they 
have  spared  one  building  and  destroyed  all  the 
others,  for  the  barn  belonging  to  that  one  has  been 
burned  ?     Only  the  cabin  itself  is  standing." 

"  Could  it  be  the  visitors  set  fire  to  it,  and  that 
the  fire  went  out  after  they  had  gone,  something  as 
yours  did  after  the  visit  of  the  Shawanoes  two  years 
ago?" 

"  It  might  be,  but  it  does  n't  seem  probable. 
Perhaps  the  man  who  lived  there  was  a  friend  of  the 
British,  or  made  them  think  so." 

"  Can  you  see  any  persoas  around  the  buildings?  " 

The  two  climbed  upon  a  stump  to  gain  a  better 
view,  and,  standing  thus,  they  observed  a  number 
of  interesting  sights. 

In  the  first  place,  they  were  unable  to  see  a  living 
creature  or  person  p^ar,  though  it  might  be  that  the 
family  belonging  to  the  place  had  taken  refuge  in 
the  building  in  their  fear  of  another  visit  from  the 
marauders.  If  this  were  the  fact,  it  suggested  the 
hope  to  George  and  Ben  of  securing  something  in 


SHADOWS  OF  THE  NIGHT.  I99 

the  way  of  food  by  going  to  the  cabin.  If  the  oc- 
cupants had  fled,  it  was  not  unlikely  they  had  left 
enough  behind  to  furnish  a  partial  meal  at  least. 

But  to  go  forward  and  enter  the  structure  directly 
after  the  visit  of  the  enemy,  and  especially  upon  the 
heels,  as  may  be  said,  of  the  Shawanoe  and  half- 
breed,  was  so  imprudent  that  they  debated  for  a 
time  whether  to  do  so,  and,  while  debasing,  they 
saw  a  man  suddenly  run  toward  the  front  door,  jerk 
the  latch-string,  and  dart  inside.  He  must  have 
secured  tne  door  behind  him,  for  his  action  indi- 
cated that  he  was  a  fugitive  from  some  foe  who  was 
pressing  him  hard.  Furthermore,  he  was  a  white 
man,  and  his  conduct  left  no  doubt  that  he  was 
beset  by  Indians,  and  that  the  alarmed  spectators 
were  about  to  witness  a  tragedy. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

'        '■■"    '    ■  AT   BAY.         ■■;:■;■'■■'  .,'■:;:■-■■.;' 

'T'HE  action  of  the  man  wh^  had  dashed  into  the 
1  cabin  was  so  significant,  that  Ben  Mayberry 
and  George  Hardin  changed  their  post  of  observa- 
tion in  order  to  prevent  their  own  discovery  by  the 
assailants  of  the  fugitive.  The  distance  between 
them  and  the  building  was  Sarely  two  hundred 
yards,  sufficient  for  them  to  be  noted  by  the  parties 
clamoring  for  the  life  of  the  individual.  The 
youths  stepped  down  from  the  stump  on  which  they 
had  been  standing  and  ran  to  the  shelter  of  the 
wood  directly  behind  them.  There  they  could  note 
everything  that  passed,  though  not  so  clearly  as 
from  the  more  elevated  station. 

The  cabin  was  similar  in  structure  to  their  own 
homes.  It  had  a  single  front  door,  and  a  narrow 
window  on  each  side,  with  two  above.  They  could 
not  see  the  rear  or  farther  end,  but  the  end  toward 
them  showed  a  single  window.  The  probability 
was  that  there  were  two  others  at  the  rear. 

For  some  minutes  after  the  disappearance  of  the 
fugitive  witWn  the  building,  no  sign  of  life  showed 
on  the  outside,  nor  did  the  defender  reveal  himself. 

aoo 


AT  BAY.  201 

"  I  wonder  whether  he  is  alone  ?  "  remarked  Ben. 

"  Most  Hkely;  if  he  had  companions,  something 
would  have  been  seen  of  them." 

"Ah!  do  you  see  that  ?" 

Unfortunately  the  builder  of  the  cabin  had  left  a 
group  of  a  dozen  trees  or  more  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  the  front  of  the  building,  as  if  he  intended 
them  for  shade  trees  or  for  the  convenience  of  his 
children,  while  the  other  portion  of  the  land  was 
cleared  and  cultivated.  It  was  among  these  trees 
that  the  boys  observed  moving  figures  which  did 
not  require  a  second  glance  to  identify  as  Indians  in 
their  war-paint.  Evidently  they  had  caught  the 
white  man  at  such  disadvantage  that  he  had  no 
choice  but  to  flee  into  the  cabin,  where  he  was  ready 
to  make  the  best  defence  possible. 
,  While  the  youths  were  watching  the  Shawanoes, 
as  undoubtedly  they  were,  moving  carefully  among 
the  trees  and  gradually  working  closer  to  the  house, 
they  saw  a  flash  from  the  farther  window,  followed 
by  the  sharp  report  of  a  rifle  and  the  screech  of  one 
of  the  assailants.  The  watchful  defender  had 
caught  sight  of  one  of  his  enemies  and  picked  him 
off.  The  spectators  did  not  see  the  victim,  since 
he  was  hidden  among  the  trees,  but  there  could  be 
no  mistake  about  that  wild  cry  which  rang  out  in 
the  morning  air  with  more  piercing  distinctness  than 
the  sound  of  the  weapon. 


202      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

"  Now  they  will  make  a  rush  while  his  gun  is  un- 
loaded," was  the  comment  of  Hardin,  who  did  not 
miss  a  point  of  the  remarkable  conflict. 

But  the  rush  was  not  made.  Apparently  the 
shot  had  taught  them  caution.  When  they  were 
sure  of  their  man,  why  should  they  incur  unneces- 
sary risk  ? 

One — two — three  reports  came  from  the  little 
group  of  trees.  The  Indians  were  firing  through 
the  windows,  in  the  hope  that  a  stray  shot  would 
reach  the  defender,  but  our  young  friends  had  no 
apprehension  on  that  score.  A  person  with  his  ex- 
perience was  too  wise  to  expose  himself  to  such 
danger.    -^  ' '^:Ws^^ 

"  Why  don't  they  attack  at  the  rear?"  asked 
Hardin.  •- 

"  What  good  would  that  do  them  when  there  is 
no  door,  and  the  windows  are  too  narrow  to  force 
their  way  through  ?  They  must  enter  by  the  front 
door,  or  stay  outside." 

As  if  in  answer  to  George's  question,  the  slightly 
muffled  reports  that  reached  them  showed  that  there 
■was  firing  on  the  other  side  of  the  cabin.  Whether 
{he  man  replied  could  not  be  told,  but  it  was  not 
likely  any  of  the  shots  did  execution.  The  curious 
battle  must  be  decided  under  the  eyes  of  the  youths, 
who,  as  has  been  explained,  saw  only  the  front  and 
one  end  of  the  building. 


AT  BAY.  203 

Some  minutes  of  inaction  followed.  The  assail- 
ants were  evidently  plotting  new  mischief,  whose 
nature  would  soon  reveal  itself. 

The  revelation  was  startling.  The  Indians  had 
secured  a  tree  trunk,  from  which  they  had  hacked 
most  of  the  branches,  leaving  the  stumps  as  handles, 
which  were  grasped  by  six  or  eight,  equally  divided 
so  as  to  support  the  weight  between  the  parties. 
The  trunk  was  perhaps  twenty  feet  in  length,  and 
formed  the  formidable  battering-ram,  for  which  it 
was  intended. 

It  was  an  act  of  unusual  daring  on  their  part, 
when  every  one  of  the  Shawanoes  knew  that  to 
make  the  weapon  effective,  they  must  leave  cover 
and  place  themselves  in  direct  range  of  the  de- 
fender, who  had  already  proven  his  grim  earnest- 
ness. He  had  been  given  time  in  which  to  reload 
his  weapon,  and  was  awaiting  the  moment  that 
must  quickly  come. 

A  brief  interval  was  spent  in  arranging  matters, 
when  the  warriors  issued  from  the  protection  of  the 
grove,  with  the  horizontal  trunk  between  the  two 
divisions,  the  ponderous  end  or  stump  portion, 
shorn  of  all  branches,  projecting  several  feet  in 
front,  while  the  tapering  part  terminated  about  the 
same  distance  beyond  the  two  rear  Indians.  Pro- 
pelled as  it  could  be,  its  momentum  must  prove 
irresistible.     Driven   with  united  force  against  the 


204      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

door,  it  would  smash  it  from  its  hinges  and  open 
the  way  to  the  interior.  This  was  what  the  red- 
skins, bearing  it  between  them,  were  bent  upon 
doing. 

When  the  party  emerged  from  the  edge  of  the 
grove  fronting  the  house,  they  were  walking  slowly, 
this  perhaps  being  necessary  until  they  could  disen- 
tangle themselves  from  their  surroundings.  But  in 
the  open  their  space  grew  more  rapid,  and  very 
quickly  the  twinkling  leggings  showed  they  were 
trotting.  Woe  to  the  obstruction  that  got  in  the 
way  of  that  wooden  snout  bearing  down  upon  it ! 

Hardly  half  the  distance  was  passed  when  a  sec- 
ond flash  darted  this  time  from  an  upper  window. 
The  defender  was  on  the  alert,  and  awaited  the 
precise  moment  when  he  could  do  the  most  effective 
execution.  The  foremost  Shawanoe  on  the  left 
made  a  curious  bound — that  is,  directly  to  the  right, 
the  effect  of  which  was  still  more  singular.  Instead 
of  leaping  in  air  or  to  the  left  where  the  space  was 
clear,  he  lunged  in  the  direction  named,  at  the  in- 
stant of  uttering  his  death-shriek,  and  fell  directly 
across  the  butt  of  the  log,  over  which  he  hung  like 
a  garment  dangling  upon  a  clothes-line.  The  re- 
sult was  curious.  His  partner  grasping  the  corre- 
sponding limb  on  the  other  side  might  have  held  on, 
had  the  stricken  one  merely  collapsed  without  inter- 
fering with  his  work,  but  the  sudden  impact  of  the 


AT  BAY.  205 

limp  body,  the  head  of  which  struck  him,  caused 
him  involuntarily  to  let  go.  His  companions  be- 
hind him  had  all  they  could  do  to  support  their  part 
of  the  burden,  but  in  an  instant  the  help  of  two 
assistants  was  not  only  withdrawn,  but  the  weight 
of  one  of  them  was  added  to  the  heavy  load. 

It  was  too  much.  Only  the  dexterity  of  the 
dusky  gymnasts  saved  them  from  tumbling  over  one 
another,  while  every  one  released  his  hold,  and  the 
log  dropped  to  the  ground  with  a  heavy  thump, 
while  the  bearers  scattered  for  cover  like  so  many 
frightened  partridges.  They  must  have  been  re- 
lieved when  they  found  themselves  once  more 
sheltered  against  the  shots  of  the  terrible  white  man. 

The  incident  was  another  of  the  many  illustrations 
of  the  grave  disadvantage  under  which  our  ancestors 
labored  on  account  of  their  clumsy  weapons.  Had 
the  white  man  held  one  of  the  modern  breech-load- 
ers, he  could  have  stood  at  the  side  of  the  narrow 
window  where  he  had  stationed  himself,  and  picked 
off  his  assailants  one  after  the  other,  with  the  result 
that  not  more  than  one  or  two  would  have  escaped 
him.  But  the  loading  of  a  flint-lock  was  an  awkward 
operation,  which  took  many  valuable  seconds,  and 
though  the  white  man  was  an  expert  and  did  his 
work  with  surprising  quid<ness,  by  the  time  he  had 
poured  the  powder  into  the  pan  and  was  ready  for 
business,  not  one  of  his  enemies  was  within  reach. 


206      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

*'  George,"  said  the  young  Kentuckian,  "  I  feel 
like  a  coward  standing  here  and  looking  at  that  fight 
v.ithout  offering  to  help  the  poor  fellow." 

"  And  so  do  I,  though  as  long  as  matters  remain 
as  they  are,  he  does  n't  need  any  help." 

"  They  won't  remain  as  they  are;  he  has  shot 
two,  if  not  more  of  them,  and  they  will  never  let 
him  escape,  but  they  will  keep  at  it  till  they  get 
him." 

"  Let  *s  move  around  where  we  can  do  something 
for  him." 

In  their  anxiety  to  help  the  beleaguered  white 
man  the  youths  could  not  forget  their  own  unfavor- 
able situation.  They  were  on  the  outside  of  the 
cabin,  and  must  meet  the  assailants  on  even  terms. 
Could  there  be  any  way  of  joining  the  one  inside, 
the  advantage  would  be  decisive.  Three  persons  on 
the  defensive,  and  sheltered  by  the  heavy  logs, 
could  stand  off  ten  times  as  many  assailants.  The 
young  friends  debated  whether  there  was  any  means 
possible  of  joining  the  brave  fellow,  but  were  com- 
pelled to  admit  there  was  none.  If  he  could  ^c  ap- 
prised of  their  presence,  he  might  hold  the  door 
ready  for  a  rush  upon  receiving  a  signal,  but  there 
was  no  way  of  opening  communication  with  him 
without  revealing  themselves  to  the  Shawanoes, 
who  would  make  short  work  of  their  good  inten- 
tions. 


A  T  BA  y.  207 

The  hopelessness  of  their  purpose  so  impressed 
them,  that  the  youths  paused  when  half  the  inter- 
vening distance  was  covered,  and,  carefully  screen- 
ing themselves,  decided  to  wait  for  a  brief  while  and 
watch  for  the  opportunity  which  for  the  time  was 
denied  them. 

The  foremost  warrior  who  had  been  stricken  down 
by  the  shot  of  the  defender  lay  on  his  face  with 
outstretched  arms  in  full  view,  and  less  than  fifty 
feet  from  the  door.  This  fact  led  his  comrades  to 
resort  to  an  artifice  that  was  surprising  to  the  young 
scouts  who  were  attentively  watching  events.  On 
the  edge  of  the  grove  appeared  one  of  the  Shawa- 
noes  waving  a  white  handkerchief  over  his  head — 
an  article  which  he  had  probably  stolen  from  some 
of  his  white  victims,  for  the  reader  does  not  need  to 
be  reminded  that  the  American  Indian  had  never 
been  addicted  to  the  use  of  the  convenience  named. 

"  A  flag  of  truce!  "  exclaimed  Ben  Mayberry,  in 
a  whisper;  "  what  does  it  mean  ?  " 

"  They  have  something  to  say  to  the  white 
man." 

"  More  likely  they  want  to  take  away  the  body  of 
that  warrior." 

"  I  don't  see  why  they  should;  it  is  as  much 
good  lying  there  as  farther  back  among  the  trees, 
and  they  can  afford  to  wait  until  the  fight  is  over." 

"  Then  it  is  meant  to  hide  some  trick." 


208      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  W A  NOES. 

"  That  is  more  likely;  we  shall  soon  know." 

The  Shawanoe  who  had  taken  upon  himself  the 
dangerous  task  must  have  felt  misgivings,  for  he 
held  his  place  for  several  minutes,  partly  concealing 
his  body  while  his  extended  hand  slowly  swung  the 
linen  to  and  fro,  as  if  afraid  to  expose  his  body  to 
the  unerring  aim  of  the  man  who  was  fighting  for 
his  life.  Rarely,  or  never,  does  the  American  In- 
dian pay  the  slightest  regard  to  a  flag  of  truce,  and 
why  should  this  one  expect  his  enemy  to  show  it 
any  consideration  ? 

It  is  impossible  to  guess  the  thoughts  of  the  white 
man,  who  could  not  fail  to  observe  the  appeal,  but 
the  fact  that  he  kept  out  of  sight,  and  offered 
nothing  in  the  nature  of  a  reply  made  it  seem  as  if 
he  held  the  emblem  at  its  true  value.  He  was  not 
to  be  tempted  into  an  exposure  of  himself  by  any 
artifice  of  his  treacherous  foes. 

If  the  action  which  the  Shawanoe  indulged  was 
singular,  that  which  followed  was  more  so.  Evi- 
dently he  concluded  to  accept  the  irresponsiveness 
of  the  white  man  as  favorable,  for  he  now  stepped 
into  full  view,  stood  motior'ess  a  moment,  indus- 
triously waving  the  handkerchief,  and  then,  as  if  all 
misgiving  had  vanished,  walked  out  into  the  open 
with  his  gaze  on  the  front  of  the  building,  appar- 
ently watching  for  the  appearance  of  the  one  who 
was  within. 


AT  BAY.  209 

When  he  reached  the  body  of  his  fallen  comrade, 
Ben  and  George  expected  to  see  him  stoop  over, 
and,  lifting  it  from  the  ground,  move  back  among 
the  trees  with  the  burden ;  but  he  gave  it  no  atten- 
tion, and  they  observed  that  he  was  several  paces  to 
one  side  of  the  inanimate  form,  as  if  he  felt  no  in- 
terest in  it.  His  painted  face  was  still  turned  up- 
ward, his  rifle  grasped  in  his  left  hand,  while  the 
right  continued  to  swing  the  flag  of  truce  over  his 
head. 

"  He  wants  to  open  communication  with  the  chap 
inside,"  whispered  Ben. 

"  It  looks  so,  but  he  ought  to  have  tried  it  before 
the  fighting  began." 

The  stillness  was  so  perfect  that  the  youths  from 
their  hiding-place  heard  every  word  uttered,  the 
Shawanoe  being  sufficiently  acquainted  with  the 
English  tongue  to  make  himself  understood. 

"  Broder,  hear  what  me  say!  "  called  the  warrior, 
slightly  raising  his  voice,  as  if  that  would  make  his 
words  plainer. 

There  could  be  no  doubt  that  the  individual  to 
whom  this  appeal  was  addressed  understood  the 
call,  but  he  waited  for  it  to  be  repeated  before  mak- 
ing response.    Finally  he  demanded  in  a  gruff  voice : 

"  Wal,  what  do  you  want  ?  " 

"  Broder,  s'render — Shawanoe   love  brodt-r — not 

hurt  him." 
14 


2IO      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

"  Why  the  mischief  then  don't  you  go  away 
and  let  me  alone  ?  " 

It  sounded  as  if  the  words  came  from  one  of  the 
upper  windows,  but  if  so,  the  speaker  took  care  not 
to  reveal  himself. 

"  Shawanoe  mistake — don't  know  broder." 

This  was  not  very  clear,  but  the  man  to  whom  it 
was  addressed  must  have  been  amused,  for  his 
chuckle  was  plainly  heard. 

"  Do  you  know  me  now  ?    What  's  my  name  ?  " 

"  Broder,  s'render,"  repeated  the  warrior,  irrel- 
evantly. 

"  If  I  surrender,  what  will  you  do  with  me  ?  " 

"  Take  to  Gen'l  Proctor — he  no  hurt;  take  to 
Tecumseh — he  like  white  man;  he  no  hurt." 

"If  you  will  bring  Tecumseh  here,  I  will  sur- 
render to  him,  for  he  's  the  only  white  Indian  alive. 
Fetch  him  here." 

"  He  good  way  off — he  with  Gen'l  Proctor — no 
time  to  come." 

"  Wal,  then,  I  '11  see  you  hanged  before  I  '11  sur- 
render; it  is  true  that  there  's  no  one  but  myself  in 
this  cabin,  but  I  have  plenty  of  ammunition,  and 
I  've  showed  you  that  I  know  how  to  shoot  m  rifle. 
Why  did  n't  you  ask  me  to  give  up  before  you 
began  shooting  at  me  ?  " 

"  Brave  broder — don't  know  him — won't  hurt 
broder,"  was  the  rather  vague  response. 


AT  BAY.  211 

"  Suppose  I  refuse  to  surrender,  what  will  you 
do  ?  "  asked  the  white  man,  banteringly. 

"  Den  we  take  you — we  tie  to  tree — we  set  fire — 
burn." 

"  Wal,  you  've  got  to  catch  me  before  you  can  do 
that;  I  won't  surrender." 

"  Den  we  burn  you — like  Col'nel  Crawford,"  and 
the  indignant  messenger  dropped  the  hand  that 
held  the  flag  of  truce  to  his  side,  turned  on  his  heel 
and  strode  toward  the  grove  from  which  he  had 
come. 

The  rules  of  civilized  warfare  would  not  have 
justified  that  which  followed,  but  the  circumstances 
did  so.  The  man  who  made  the  defiant  reply  was 
not  deceived  by  the  artifice  of  his  enemies.  The 
threat  of  putting  him  to  the  torture  if  he  refused  to 
give  himself  up  would  be  carried  out  if  he  volun- 
tarily came  forth  and  handed  them  his  gun.  He 
had  seen  the  thing  done  in  his  experience,  and  was 
well  aware  that  the  most  solemn  pledge  of  the  aver- 
age American  Indian  was  without  any  binding  effect 
upon  them. 

They  had  counted  upon  securing  him  v/ithout 
loss  of  life  to  themselves,  but  two  of  their  number 
had  already  fallen,  and  it  looked  as  if  it  would  cost 
them  more  before  they  could  gather  him  in. 
Hence  the  trick  of  the  flag  of  truce,  fully  under- 
standing which,  the  white  man  deliberately  levelled 


212      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

his  rifle,   while  the  angry  Shawanoe  was  walking 
away,  and  shot  him  dead  in  his  tracks. 

"Good!"  exclaimed  the  pleased  Hardin;  "I 
was  afraid  they  would  persuaae  him  to  give  in,  but 
he  knows  too  much  for  that." 

But  all  the  same,  the  cunning  Shawanoes  did  out- 
wit the  brave  fellow  who  defied  them. 

There  was  a  meaning  in  the  pretended  flag  of 
truce,  which  neither  the  man  nor  the  youths  sus- 
pected.    It  cannot  be  supposed  that  the  messenger 
had  any  expectation  that  the  single  defender  would 
accept  the  pledges  made  him,   and   place   himself 
willingly  in  their  power,  but  he  did  hope  he  would 
refrain  from  firing  upon  the  emblem,  which  his  own 
people  held  sacred.     But,  whether  he  did  or  not, 
the  interview  must  necessarily  occupy  several  min- 
utes,  during  which  the  attention  of  the  white  ir.an 
would  be   held   at   the   front,    and   he   would   not 
suspect   what   was   going   on   at    the   rear    of   the 
cabin;  and  that  was  the  primal  object  of  the  nro- 
ceeding. 

Ben  Mayberry  and  George  Hardin  still  held  their 
advanced  position,  hoping  that  some  way  would 
present  itself  by  which  they  could  strike  a  blow  for 
their  unknown  friend,  but  as  matters  stood,  the  first 
act  on  their  own  ,>art  was  certain  to  precipitate 
th-ir  destruction  without  benefiting  the  other. 

"  There  does  n't  seem  to  be  any  one  at  the  rear 


AT  BAY.  213 

of  the  house,"  said  Ben;  "  let  's  see  whether  there 
is  n't  some  chance  there  to  do  something." 

"  If  he  can  stand  them  off  till  night,"  remarked 
Hardin,  doubtfully;  "  and  we  can  manage  to  let 
him  know  we  are  here,  we  may  help  him." 

"  But  night  is  a  long  way  off,  and  we  must  be  at 
Fort  Stephenson  before  that  time  or  give  up " 

He  abruptly  caught  the  arm  of  his  companion, 
who  needed  not  the  reminder,  for  both  saw  a  ter- 
rifying sight  at  the  same  instant.  A  mass  of  smoke 
rose  above  the  roof  of  the  cabin,  coming  from  a  fire 
that  had  been  kindled  on  the  other  side.  While 
the  bearer  of  the  flag  of  truce  was  holding  the  atten- 
tion of  the  white  man  at  the  front,  another  party, 
who  had  fully  prepared  everything,  slipped  noise- 
lessly forward,  each  carrying  a  bundle  of  dried  twigs 
and  limbs,  which  were  as  silently  heaped  against 
the  side  of  the  cabin.  There  was  enough  fuel  to 
make  a  pile  several  feet  high,  and  it  was  adjusted 
with  infernal  cunning.  Then,  when  all  was  ready, 
one  of  the  redskins  stooped  down  and  with  flint  and 
steel  struck  several  sparks  which  quickly  communi- 
cated with  the  inflammable  material.  Pausing  until 
everything  was  going  right,  they  skurried  among 
the  trees  and  gleefully  watched  matters. 

It  was  at  this  moment  that  the  crack  of  the  white 
man's  rifle  and  the  screech  of  his  victim  announced 
what  had  occurred  at  the  front  of  the  house,  and 


214      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

proved  that  the  party  at  the  rear  had  timed  their 
work  to  perfection. 

The  defender  soon  caught  the  smell  of  smoke, 
and  for  the  first  time  comprehended  how  cleverly  he 
had  been  out-generalled.  He  had  the  grim  satisfac- 
tion of  knowing  that  he  had  exacted  a  heavy  penalty 
for  the  treachery  of  his  foes,  but  the  crisis  had  come 
with  unexpected  suddenness.  It  was  now  a  choice 
of  remaining  in  the  cabin  and  being  burned  to 
death,  or  of  risking  all  on  another  dash  for  freedom. 
He  chose  the  latter. 


CHAPTER   XVI. 


THROUGH    ON    TIME. 


THE  white  man  showed  no  hesitation,  now  that 
he  was  compelled  to  choose  between  the  two 
frightful  expedients.  A  more  painful  death  than 
that  of  being  burned  to  a  cinder  in  the  blazing 
cabin  is  hardly  conceivable.  He  had  no  means  of 
checking  the  flames  which  were  roaring  with  in- 
creasing fury  and  would  make  the  interior  a  blazing 
furnace  within  the  next  five  minutes. 

Deliberately  descending  the  ladder  at  the  rear  of 
the  upper  room,  he  strode  across  the  lower  floor, 
where  he  could  hardly  breathe  because  of  the 
suffocating  smoke,  and  made  for  the  door.  He 
still  held  his  loaded  rifle  in  hand,  for  under  no  cir- 
cumstances would  he  willingly  part  with  that.  Re- 
moving the  ponderous  bolt  and  lifting  the  latch,  he 
drew  the  heavy  structure  a  few  inches  inward  and 
peered  out.  He  saw  the  Shawanoes  awaiting  his 
coming,  and  knew  that  others  were  at  the  rear  of 
the  building. 

Suddenly  swinging  the  door  wide  open,  he  uttered 
a  defiant  yell,  and,    leaping   outside,  started  on  a 

315 


2l6      TECUM  SEII,  Cir/EF  OF  THE  OH  A  WA  NOES. 

* 

dead  run  for  the  spot  where  the  youths  were  watch- 
ing with  bated  breath  the  thrilling  sight.  It  was 
the  best  thing  for  the  man  to  do,  for  he  had  gone 
hardly  a  dozen  steps  when  it  was  all  over,  and  he 
was  beyond  any  possible  suffering  at  the  hands  of 
the  dusky  wretches,  who  were  thus  robbed  of  their 
expected  delight  by  the  shots  which  they  were  com- 
pelled to  fire  to  prevent  the  escape  of  the  fleet- 
footed  fugitive. 

When  the  poor  fellow  turned  his  pale,  determined 
face  toward  the  spot  where  our  young  friends  were 
in  hiding,  they  recognized  him  as  Jim  Perkins,  the 
scout  who  had  started  the  previous  day  upon  the 
same  mission  as  themselves.  Before  he  had  accom- 
plished half  the  distance,  he  had  fallen  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duty,  adding  his  name  to  the  long  list 
of  unknown  heroes  to  whom  our  country  owes  a 
debt  that  can  never  be  repaid. 

It  was  a  shocking  discovery  to  Ben  and  George, 
who  rather  curiously  had  not  only  failed  to  identify 
the  scout  when  they  saw  him  run  from  cover  and 
dodge  into  the  cabin,  but  had  overlooked  the  possi- 
bility of  its  being  their  old  friend. 

It  will  be  understood  that  the  youths  themselves 
were  in  a  most  perilous  situation,  from  which  they 
must  quickly  extricate  themselves  or  be  lost.  So 
near  were  their  enemies  that  with  all  the  woodcraft 
of  the  young  men  it  would  have  been  impossible  to 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  217 

do  this,  had  not  the  attention  of  the  Shawanoes 
been  absorbed  for  a  few  minutes  by  the  incident  just 
described.  Quick  to  take  advantage  of  the  favor- 
able situation,  Ben  and  George  withdrew  with  in- 
finite pains  deeper  into  the  wood,  until  finally  a 
point  was  reached  where  they  could  breathe  freely 
and  speak  to  each  other. 

'•  Poor  Jim!  "  said  Hardin,  in  a  choking  voice; 
•'  I  never  suspected  it  was  he ;  what  a  pity  we  could 
do  nothing  to  help  him,  but  we  had  no  earthly 
chance." 

"  We  had  a  dozen  chances,  and  were  fools  not  to 
use  them,"  was  the  bitter  exclamation  of  Ben  May- 
berry. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?"   asked  the  astonished 

George. 

"  That  was  Jim  who  hurried  over  the  trail  last 
night  behind  us,  and  we  stepped  out  of  the  way  to 
let  him  pass." 

"  But  we  did  n't  know  it  at  the  time." 

"  But  we  knew  it  was  Wallah  and  the  Shawanoe 
that  were  chasing  him:  there  was  enough  moon- 
light at  that  spot  to  show  both,  and  we  ought  to 
have  shot  them ;  it  was  a  wicked  oversight,  and  I 
shall  never  forgive  myself,  not  only  for  that  neglect 
but  for  throwing  away  my  chance  to  shoot  them  on 
the  lake,  when  they  could  n't  help  themselves." 

Hardin  made  no  reply,  for  he  shared  the  remorse, 


2l8      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

if  it  may  be  termed  that,  over  the  undeserved 
chivalry  he  had  shown  their  enemies.  He  keenly 
regretted  it,  but  regrets  could  now  do  no  good. 
The  youths  stood  in  silence  for  several  minutes, 
their  reflections  of  the  most  distressing  nature. 
They  had  known  Jim  Perkins  for  several  years  for 
a  brave,  honest,  skilful  scout,  whose  death,  how- 
ever, was  only  what  every  member  of  the  little  band 
was  prepared  for  whenever  he  ventured  from  his 
home. 

"  There  's  one  thing  I  don't  understand,"  said 
Hardin,  when  they  had  sat  for  some  minutes  on  the 
fallen  tree. 
"  What  'sthat  ?" 

"  We    started    on   the   southern   route   to   Fort 
Stephenson,   while  Jim  took  the  northern  ;  either 
he  or  we  have  gotten  off  the  track,  for  we  ought  to 
have  been  several  miles  apart,  instead  of  coming 
together  as  we  did." 
"  I  don't  believe  it  was  Jim." 
It   was  easy   to   settle   the  question,    and   they 
brought  out  their  compasses.     A  surprise  follo^ved. 
Instead  of  pursuing  an  eastern  course,  as  they  Jiad 
supposed,    they  were   travelling  due   northeast,    a 
direction  which,  if  continued,  would  take  them'  to 
the  north  of  their  destination. 

"  My  gracious!  "  exclaimed  Hardin,  "  how  came 
we  to  do  that  ?  " 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  219 

"  How  could  we  help  it,  when  we  have  been 
travelling  most  of  the  night  without  anything  to 
guide  us  ? " 

"  We  had  our  compasses." 

"  But,  if  you  will  think,  we  never  looked  at  them 
since  our  meeting  on  the  clearing,  we  must  have 
gone  astray  shortly  after  that ;  we  have  travelled  so 
far  toward  Lake  Erie  that  instead  of  being  to  the 
south  of  Proctor's  army,  we  are  on  the  north  of  it." 

"  I  don't  see  that  it  makes  any  difference,  now 
that  Perkins  has  fallen." 

The  expression  on  the  face  of  George  Hardin  was 
grave,  as  he  remarked  in  his  guarded  voice : 

"  We  have  crossed  the  route  of  Proctor,  but  was 
it  to  the  east  or  west  '  If  to  the  west,  then  he  is 
between  us  and  Fort  Stephenson,  and  there  is  little 
use  in  our  going  farther,  for  he  will  arrive  there 
ahead  of  us." 

"  I  am  sure  we  are  still  nearer  than  he ;  for  we  have 
been  going  all  night  while  his  soldiers  have  rested." 

"  But  they  started  before  us,  and  it  's  mighty 
little  travelling  we  did  yesterday." 

"  We  can  go  much  faster  than  he;  let  's  be  off." 
Ben  rose  to  his  feet  with  an  expression  of  im- 
patience, for  it  seemed  to  him  that  everything  had 
gone  wrong.  Obstacles  of  which  neither  had 
dreamed  before  starting  had  baffled  them  continu- 
ally, and,   worst  of  all,  they  had  been  obliged  to 


220      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

stand  idle  and  witness  the  death  of  a  friend  before 
their  very  eyes.  They  had  wandered  from  the 
course  laid  out  for  themselves,  and  could  not  be 
certain  that  they  had  not  dropped  behind  the  army 
of  whose  advance  they  had  started  to  warn  Major 
Croghan,  the  commandant  at  Fort  Stephenson,  still 
a  long  way  off. 

One  important  fact  had  made  itself  apparent: 
they  were  on  the  tramping  grounds  of  the  Shawa- 
noe  scouts,  and  now  that  the  sun  was  shining,  they 
needed  all  their  woodcraft  to  elude  them.  The 
espionage  would  be  intensified  as  they  neared  the 
Sandusky,  and,  though  they  were  hungry,  sleepy, 
and  tired,  it  would  not  do  to  relax  their  vigilance 
for  a  minute. 

They  hurried  as  fast  as  they  could  from  the  scene 
of  the  sad  incident  they  had  witnessed  on  that  early 
summer  morning.  After  passing  the  small  culti- 
vated section,  they  struck  another  long  stretch  of 
woodland,  into  which  they  plunged  apparently  with 
as  much  ardor  as  during  the  first  hour  of  their  de- 
parture from  Fort  Meigs.  To  their  surprise,  they 
had  not  gone  far  when  they  again  came  upon  a 
well-defined  path,  which  they  made  certain,  by  con- 
sulting their  compasses,  led  in  the  right  direction. 

"  It  looks  as  if  we  had  struck  a  more  thickly- 
settled  country  than  it  is  farther  west ;  this  path  has 
been  used  as  much  as  the  other,"  said  Hardin. 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  221 

"  But  I  don't  believe  we  shall  find  any  of  the 
people ;  there  has  been  so  much  fighting  that  they 
have  fled  to  the  forts,  leaving  their  property  behind 
them." 

"  Where  they  are  not  likely  to  find  it  again;  do 
you  notice  that  the  ground  has  been  rising  for  some 
time — helloa!  here  's  a  change!  " 

They  were  not  disappointed  when  they  emerged 
into  a  cultivated  tract  similar  to  that  which  they 
had  left  a  short  time  before.  There  was  the  trampled 
corn  and  vegetation  with  the  houses,  every  one  of 
which  was  now  a  mass  of  smouldering  ruins.  It  is 
well  known  that  General  Proctor  devastated  every 
portion  of  the  country  through  which  he  marched 
with  his  soldiers  and  Indians.  In  the  instance  upon 
which  our  young  friends  had  come  there  was  not  a 
building  left  standing;  all  had  been  destroyed  by 
the  ruthless  invader. 

But  the  young  scouts  were  not  to  pass  the  spot 
without  another  interesting  experience.  While  they 
kept  within  the  shelter  of  the  wood  and  peeped  care- 
fully out  upon  the  broad  open  space  they  saw  a 
single  Indian,  standing  with  his  arms  folded,  and 
looking  straight  at  the  path  over  which  they  had 
reached  the  spot. 

Once  more  the  exceeding  care  of  the  youths 
seemed  to  have  saved  them.  Since  the  Indian 
whom  they  descried  was  looking  toward  the  point 


222      TECUMSEII,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

where  the  path  over  which  they  advanced  debouched 
into  the  opening,  he  must  have  seen  them,  but  for 
their  pause  before  they  discovered  all  that  was  in 
front.  By  pushing  a  little  farther  forward,  and 
screening  their  bodies,  they  escaped  the  detection 
that  would  have  been  certain  but  for  this  precaution. 

"  Ben,"  said  Hardin,  "  that  Indian  is  looking  for 
some  one  to  come  over  this  path." 

"  He  is  n't  looking  for  us.'* 

"  Of  course  not,  but  we  must  move  to  one  side, 
where,  whoever  it  is,  we  won't  be  seen;  there  mey 
be  twenty  of  them  instead  of  one  " 

The  shift  of  position  was  readily  made.  The  two 
could  keep  watch  of  the  trail  without  being  ob- 
served, and,  at  the  same  time,  the  single  Indian  was 
in  their  field  of  vision,  and  his  every  movement  was 
noted. 

He  was  standing  on  the  edge  of  a  field,  where  the 
corn  had  been  trampled  prone  with  the  earth.  The 
path,  which  was  evidently  the  avenue  of  commu- 
nication between  the  widely-scattered  neighbors, 
wound  past  the  feet  of  the  warrior,  as  if  he  had  fol- 
lowed it  from  the  opposite  direction,  and  stopped 
to  await  the  approach  of  some  one  or  more  from  the 
west. 

It  was  a  notable  fact  that  the  Shawanoe  carried 
no  rifle,  though  the  usual  knife  and  tomahav/k  were 
at  his  girdle.     His  arms  were  folded  across  his  mas- 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  223 

sive  chest,  and  his  handsome  face  was  without  a 
touch  of  paint. 

"  By  gracious!"  suddenly  exclaimed  Ben  May- 
berry;  "  do  you  know  who  that  is,  George  " 

"  No— yes,  can  it  be  ?  " 

"  It  's  Tecumseh!  He  's  the  last  person  I  ex- 
pected to  see  in  this  part  of  the  world.  Now  I  feel 
easier." 


"  Why?" 

"If  we  fall  into  his  hands,  we  shall  be  well 
treated." 

"  All  the  same,  we  don't  intend  to  fall  into  his 
hands." 

"  He  is  surely  waiting  for  some  one  to  join  him 
from  over  this  trail." 

The  fact  that  Tecumseh  was  lookihg  for  the 
coming  of  some  one  was  too  manifest  to  be  mis- 
taken. He  stood  as  motionless  as  a  statue,  with 
his  eyes  fixed  on  the  edge  of  the  wood.  Once  an 
uneasy  feeling  came  over  the  young  scouts  who 
feared  he  had  detected  their  approach,  carefully  as 
it  was  made,  but  reflection  relieved  their  misgiving, 
since  he  would  have  given  some  outward  sign  of  the 
fact,  and  they  were  sure  they  had  not  betrayed 
themselves. 

The  correctness  of  their  surmise  was  shortly 
proven,  when,  without  any  preliminary  announce- 
ment in  the  way  of  sound  of  footsteps,  a  tall  figure 


224      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

clad  in  the  dress  of  one  of  General  Harrison's  scouts, 
appeared,  making  his  way  over  the  trail  with  long, 
noiseless  strides.  He  carried  his  rifle  in  his  left 
hand,  and  his  head  and  shoulders  were  thrown 
slightly  forward,  as  if  he  knew  he  was  a  little  tardy 
in  keeping  his  tryst,  and  was  hurrying  to  make 
amends. 

It  was  hard  for  Ben  and  George  to  restrain  an  ex- 
clamation of  surprise  when  they  recognized  the  man 
as  Simon  Kenton,  the  renowned  pioneer  and  scout, 
and  their  devoted  friend.  Their  impulse  was  to 
make  themselves  known  to  him,  for  his  presence  in 
that  neighborhood  and  at  that  time  would  have 
been  equal  to  a  score  of  others  of  lesser  note ;  but 
the  youths  were  shrewd.  Kenton  was  on  his  way 
to  keep  an  appointment  with  Tecumseh,  the  great 
war  chief  of  the  Shawanoe,  and  it  was  not  unlikely 
that  the  meeting  was  meant  to  be  a  secret  one. 
Should  he  become  aware  that  it  had  witnesses,  he 
would  be  displeased,  and  perhaps  compel  them  to 
withdraw,  or  remain  where  they  were  while  he  and 
the  chieftain  passed  out  of  sight. 

It  need  not  be  said  that  no  matter  how  singular 
the  conduct  of  Kenton,  neither  the  young  scouts 
nor  any  one  who  knew  him  could  suspect  him  of 
double  dealing.  This  remarkable  man  was  as 
thorough  a  patriot  and  American  as  ever  lived,  and 
honest  to  the  core.     Brave,  active,  powerful,  a  con- 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  225 

summate  master  of  woodcraft,  he  had  the  simplicity 
of  a  child,  and  commanded  the  respect  of  his  foes 
as  well  as  the  love  and  confidence  of  friends.  Gen- 
eral William  Henry  Harrison,  who  knew  both  him 
and  Tecumseh  intimately,  looked  upon  Kenton  as 
one  of  the  noblest  of  men. 

Tecumseh  descried  the  familiar  figure  before  it 
emerged  from  among  the  trees.  The  moment  Ken- 
ton saw  his  old  acquaintance,  he  flourished  his  right 
hand  with  a  half-military  salute,  but  the  Shawanoe 
did  not  stir  or  show  by  any  action  that  he  observed 
the  greeting,  nor  did  he  advance  a  step  to  meet  him. 
Instead,  he  kept  his  place  like  a  king  awaiting  the 
obeisance  of  a  serving  man.  But  when  the  great 
scout  extended  his  hand,  Tecumseh  unfolded  his 
arms  and  gave  him  his  palm,  while  the  dusky 
countenance  lit  up  with  unmistakable  pleasure. 

These  two  persons  were  enemies,  but  they  were 
chivalrous  ones.  The  blows  they  struck  were 
honest,  and  either  vrould  have  scorned  to  take  an 
unfair  advantage  of  the  other.  The  coming  to- 
gether was  like  that  of  Saladin  and  King  Richard. 
They  had  weighty  matters  to  discuss,  and,  while 
doing  so,  no  one  could  be  more  courteous.  The 
interview  ended,  they  would  part  with  mutual  ex- 
pressions of  esteem,  and  then  straightway  set  to 
work  to  kill  each  other. 

Ben    Mayberry   and    George    Hardin   would  not 

IS 


226      TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

have  felt  at  ease  in  playing  the  eavesdropper,  and 
yet  they  would  have  given  much  to  overhear  what 
passed  between  Kenton  and  Tecumseh.  They  saw 
them  shake  h^ids,  stand  a  few  minutes  while  talk- 
ing, after  which  they  withdrew  a  few  paces  to  where 
a  broad,  flat  stone  extended  along  the  side  of  the 
path.  There  they  sat  down,  like  brothers,  and 
duly  took  up  the  discussion  that  had  brought  them 
together  from  points  miles  distant. 

It  so  happened,  that  as  they  thus  sat,  their  faces 
were  turned  toward  the  wood,  so  that  the  boys 
plainly  saw  their  countenances.  There  was  always 
a  touch  of  waggishness  in  Kenton,  which  showed 
itself  even  in  his  old  age,  and  when  he  had  long 
been  a  devout  Christian.  His  voice,  as  we  have  in- 
timated, was  unusually  musical  and  the  missionary, 
Rev.  J.  B.  Finlay,  tells  how  often  it  charmed  the 
listeners  at  the  early  camp-meetings  in  the  West. 

It  may  be  doubted  whether  a  half  dozen  persons 
ever  saw  a  smile  on  the  face  of  Tecumseh.  His 
race  are  noted  for  the'r  gravity  and  melancholy  dis- 
position, and  the  famous  leader  of  the  Shawanoes 
seemed  so  impressed  with  his  momen'  us  mission 
that  he  was  always  profoundly  in  earnest.  Daring 
indeed  would  have  been  that  man  who  presumed  to 
take  any  liberties  with  him. 

But  Simon  Kenton  did  not  hesitate  to  do  so. 
The    astounded   youths   who    were    watching    the 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  ZVJ 

couple  saw  him  deliberately  raise  his  hand  and  slap 
the  shoulder  of  Tecumseh,  breaking  into  laughter 
at  the  same  moment,  as  if  he  had  reached  the  climax 
of  an  amusing  anecdote.  The  Indian  did  hot  even 
smile,  and  yet  there  was  nothing  in  his  manner  like 
resentment  over  the  odd  proceeding.  The  young 
scouts  observed  Kenton  throw  back  his  head  in 
silent  laughter,  and  caught  the  gleam  of  his  even, 
white  teeth,  which  a  young  woman  might  have 
envied. 

Tecumseh  said  something,  and  looked  at  him  like 
a  parent,  grieved  over  the  frivolity  of  a  child. 
Kenton  replied,  and  then  both  became  serious,  or 
rather  the  white  man  did,  since  the  other  had  been 
in  that  mental  state  from  the  first.  The  scout  laid 
his  rifle  on  the  ground  on  the  farther  side  of  him- 
self, while  his  companion,  it  will  be  remembered, 
did  not  bring  his  most  important  weapon  with  him. 
When  Kenton  spoke,  he  turned  toward  his  com- 
panion, so  that  his  own  profile  was  brought  into 
view,  but  while  listening,  he  looked  in  the  direction 
of  the  wood,  with  his  ear  turned  to  the  other.  The 
chieftain  rarely  moved  his  head,  though  his  bright 
eyes  were  continually  flitting  back  and  forth,  and  he 
often  looked  into  the  face  of  his  friend.  Sometimes 
the  latter  rested  his  hands  on  his  knees,  then  he 
took  off  his  coonskin  cap,  and  ran  his  fingers  through 
his  hair,  folded  his  arms  for  a  minute,  leaned  back 


228      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  rilE   SHA  WANOES. 

with  his  hands  clasped  just  below  the  uplifted  knee 
of  one  leg  which  served  as  a  poise  for  his  body,  and 
then,  as  the  conversation  became  more  earnest,  his 
restlessness  departed,  and  he  sat  as  motionless  as 
the  Shawanoe  had  been  from  the  first. 

It  was  a  striking  scene  upon  which  Ben  and 
George  looked.  Several  times  they  caught  the 
sound  of  Kenton's  voice,  but  were  unable  to  dis- 
tinguish the  words,  and  not  once  could  they  hear 
the  low,  resonant  tones  of  Tecumseh,  who  seemed 
determined  that  if  there  were  eavesdroppers  near 
they  should  gain  no  advantage. 

Had  a  person  attempted  to  interpret  the  character 
of  the  conversation  without  knowing  any  of  the 
words  uttered,  he  would  have  said  that  the  first  part 
was  introductory  and  marked  by  some  facetiousness 
on  the  part  of  Kenton,  who  indulged  in  the  restless 
manifestations  that  have  been  noted.  Tecumseh 
said  little,  but  before  long  the  real  theme  that  had 
brought  them  together  came  under  discussion.  The 
Shawanoe  did  most  of  the  talking  at  that  time,  while 
Kenton  gave  respectful  attention.  When  the  chief- 
tain had  made  his  views  clear,  the  white  man  spoke 
with  an  earnestness  that  increased  as  he  progressed. 
He  was  seen  to  shake  his  head,  and,  leaning  for- 
ward, used  his  long  forefinger  to  tap  the  palm  of  his 
other  hand  and  give  emphasis  to  his  utterances. 
Tecumseh  had  folded  his  arms  again,  and  his  face 


THROUGH  ON  TIME.  229 

was  turned  toward  the  wood,  but  he  looked  steadily 
sideways  at  his  companion  and  did  not  allow  a 
syllable  to  escape  him. 

Once  Kenton  raised  his  voice  in  his  excitement  to 
a  pitch  that  enabled  the  youths  to  catch  a  sentence — 
"  Yoii  'II  make  a  great  mistake  " — and  then,  as  if 
sensible  of  his  imprudence,  it  dropped  to  the  pre- 
vious level  of  unintelligibility. 

Suddenly  both  rose  to  their  feet,  the  action  being 
so  abrupt  that  for  an  instant  the  spectators  thought 
they  were  about  to  engage  in  mortal  conflict,  but, 
instead  of  that,  they  clasped  hands,  said  something 
evidently  of  a  pleasant  nature,  and  then  Kenton 
picked  up  his  gun  from  the  ground,  and,  waving  a 
salute  to  Tecumseh,  who  had  again  folded  his  arms 
and  assumed  his  statuesque  posture,  he  strode  in 
the  direction  of  the  trail  by  which  he  had  reached 
the  rendezvous.  He  walked  rapidly,  as  if  in  haste 
to  fulfill  some  other  engagement,  and  a  few  minutes 
after  his  disappearance,  Tecumseh  turned  the  other 
way  and  passed  from  sight. 

Then  it  was  that  George  Hardin  and  Ben  May- 
berry  ventured  to  resume  their  seemingly  endless 
journey  toward  Fort  Stephenson.  There  were 
many  perils  yet  to  be  passed,  but  let  it  suffice  to 
say  tiiat  they  went  safely  through  them  all,  and  at 
the  time  fixed  upon  for  their  arrival  at  Fort  Ste- 
phenson, they  reached  that  endangered  post. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


BRILLIANT    WORK. 


THE  young  scouts  received  a  royal  welcome  to 
the  rough  frontier  post  named  Fort  Stephen- 
son on  the  Lower  Sandusky.  The  brilliant  Major 
Croghan  learning  that  they  were  from  General  Smith 
at  Fort  Meigs,  and  quick  to  observe  their  fatigue, 
insisted  that  they  should  partake  of  food  and  rest 
themselves  before  making  known  the  message  they 
had  brought  to  him.  Nothing  could  have  been 
more  acceptable  to  the  youths,  who  were  struck  by 
the  fact  that  the  young  commandant  did  not  seem 
to  be  impressed  by  the  importance  of  the  communi- 
cation they  had  carried  at  the  cost  of  so  much  dan- 
ger and  privation. 

The  huge  log  structure  had  been  hastily  erected, 
and  was  provided  with  but  a  single  cannon,  the  gar- 
rison numbering  one  hundred  and  sixty  men — a 
force  so  insignificant  as  well  to  excite  the  scorn  of 
General  Proctor,  who  announced  his  intention  of 
wiping  it  out  of  existence  by  way  of  pastime. 

"  Well,"  said   Major  Croghan,  when  their  meal 

was  finished  and  he  had  lit  his  pipe,  "  inasmuch  as 

230 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  23 1 

General  Smith  sent  you  off  in  such  a  hurry  that  he 
had  no  time  to  put  his  message  in  writing,  I  shall  be 
glad  to  hear  what  you  have  to  tell  me." 

George  Hardin  took  upon  himself  to  reply. 

"  You  know,  sir,  that  General  Proctor  and  Te- 
cumseh  have  made  two  attempts  to  capture  Fort 
Meigs  ?" 

"  I  have  heard  something  of  the  kind,"  replied 
the  young  officer,  who  seemed  to  be  in  unusually 
good  spirits  for  one  who  was  in  such  imminent  peril 
himself. 

"  And  he  failed;  General  Harrison  has  gone  to 
Kentucky  for  reinforcements  and  supplies." 

"  Something  of  that  has  reached  my  ears,"  ob- 
served Major  Croghan,  who  still  displayed  a  strange 
indifference  to  his  own  situation. 

"  Well,  General  Proctor  has  taken  half  his  force, 
numbering  about  three  thousand  men " 

"  I  beg  pardon,  he  has  not  withdrawn  more  than 
two  thousand;  go  on." 

The  youths  were  amazed.  It  began  to  look  as  if 
the  commandant  knew  as  much,  if  not  more  about 
this  business  than  they. 

"  We  did  n't  count  them,"  said  young  Hardin, 
his  face  slightly  flushing;  "  but  that  's  the  estimate 
General  Smith  made." 

"  The  General  is  a  most  excellent  oflficer,  but 
somewhat  nervous;  well  ?  " 


232      TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  IVANOES. 

"  Proctor  is  on  his  way  to  attack  you  witli  his 
large  force,  and  General  Smith  sent  us  to  warn  you 
to  be  ready  for  the  most  desperate  fight  of  your  life. ' ' 

Major  Croghan  was  sitting  on  a  rough  camp-stool 
of  home  manufacture,  his  visitors  being  seated  on 
similar  supports  directly  in  front  of  him.  The  hand- 
some soldier  had  crossed  his  legs  and  loosely  held 
his  clay  pipe  in  his  mouth,  while  he  slowly  pufTed 
the  smoke  from  between  his  lips.  He  looked  fix- 
edly into  the  face  of  George  Hardin,  and  then  as  a 
half-smile  lit  up  his  countenance,  he  removed  the 
stem  of  his  pipe. 

"  Do  you  yourf,  men  know  what  I  am  thinking 
about  ?  " 

As  he  asked  the  question,  he  turned  his  eyes  upon 
Ben  Mayberry,  who,  deeming  it  his  duty  to  make  a 
suitable  reply,  promptly  did  so. 

"  I  am  sure  we  have  n't  the  first  idea." 

"  If  General  Smith  were  a  younger  ofificer,  or  our 
stations  were  the  same  in  the  service,  I  should  de- 
mand satisfaction  for  his  insult." 

"  Why — how  is  that  ?"  asked  the  young  Ken- 
tuckian,  in  some  embarrassment. 

"  His  action,  stripped  of  all  ornament,  is,  in 
effect,  '  Major  Croghan,  convinced  that  you  don't 
understand  your  business,  I  send  a  couple  of  boys 
to  teach  you.'  It  amounts  to  that  and  nothing 
less. 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  233 

The  smile  had  faded,  and  the  officer  was  unmis- 
takably angry. 

"  I  hope,"  said  Hardin,  feeling  uncomfortable, 
"  you  don't  blame  us.'' 

"  On  the  contrary,  I  shall  compliment  you  in  my 
report  to  General  Harrison  for  the  manner  in  which 
you  performed  the  wholly  unnecessary  duty  en- 
trusted to  you.  I  have  heard  Simon  Kenton  speak 
in  high  terms  of  you,  and  I  am  sure  his  good 
opinion  is  warranted.  But  don't  you  see  that  the 
only  reason  General  Smith  could  have  for  sending 
you  on  a  tramp  of  forty  miles  through  a  most  dan- 
gerous country  is  that  I  am  unaware  of  my  peril, 
and  have  made  no  preparations  to  meet  it  ?  " 

This  view  of  the  business  had  not  seriously  oc- 
curred to  the  youths,  but  they  saw  its  force.  It 
was  not  their  province,  however,  to  mingle  in  any 
such  dispute,  so  they  held  their  peace. 

"  Did  he  send  any  one  beside  you  two  young 
gentlemen  ?  " 

"Yes,"  replied  Ben;  "one  of  his  scouts,  Jim 
Perkins,  started  ahead  of  us." 

"  I  have  seen  nothing  of  him;  why  is  n't  he 
here?" 

"  Because  he  is  dead." 

"  Are  you  sure  of  that  ?  " 

"  We  saw  him  shot  by  the  Indians,  and  we  had  a 
close  call  ourselves." 


234     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

Major  Croghan  smoked  vigorously  for  several 
minutes.  His  reflections  were  of  a  displeasing  char- 
acter, as  his  words  proved. 

"  That  poor  fellow's  life  was  thrown  away;  had 
General  Harrison  been  at  home,  it  would  not  have 
occurred.  Has  General  Smith  forgotten  that  I 
have  as  skilful  scouts  in  my  employ  as  he — always 
excepting  Simon  Kenton  and  yourselves,"  added 
the  officer,  unbending  for  the  moment;  "  that  I 
know  all  the  particulars  of  the  sieges  of  Fort  Meigs; 
that  I  am  aware  both  failed,  as  a  matter  of  course, 
for  there  would  have  been  no  excuse  if  they  had  not 
failed ;  and  that  Proctor  has  left  half  his  force  under 
Tecumseh  to  continue  the  siege  or  make  an  attack 
if  he  sees  a  chance,  while  he  is  marching  with  the 
other  half  to  attack  me  ?  " 

It  was  on  the  tongue  of  Ben  Mayberry  to  say  that 
they  had  seen  Tecumseh  that  day  much  nearer  to 
Fort  Stephenson  than  to  Fort  Meigs,  but  loyalty  to 
Kenton  kept  his  lips  closed.  It  could  not  be  that 
Tecumseh  was  in  the  neighborhood  for  the  purpose 
of  joining  in  the  attack  on  Fort  Stephenson,  else 
Major  Croghan  would  have  known  it. 

"  Well,  it  follows  that  since  I  am  kept  almost 
hourly  informed  of  how  things  are  going  within  a 
reasonable  distance,  I  am  not  in  need  of  any  advice 
from  General  Smith,  and  I  don't  thank  him  for  it. 
However,"  quickly  added  the  young  officer,  feeling 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  235 

that  he  had  gone  too  far;  "  I  beg  your  pardon  for 
speaking  so  plainly ;  General  Smith  is  my  superior 
officer,  and  I  am  ready  to  obey  any  directions  froir 
him  in  the  absence  of  General  Harrison.  When 
you  return  to  General  Smith,  tell  him  you  delivered 
his  message,  and  give  him  my  compliments  and 
thanks,  with  my  assurance  that  all  the  news  he 
sent,  and  considerable  in  addition,  was  old  when  it 
reached  me.  Enough  on  that  score ;  I  shall  be  very 
glad  to  have  you  remain  with  us,  but  perhaps  since 
the  attack  by  Proctor  is  imminent,  it  will  be  more  pru- 
dent for  you  to  depart  after  you  have  fully  rested." 

"  That  *s  the  reason  why  we  want  to  stay,"  said 
the  young  Kentuckian,  with  a  flash  of  his  eyes, 
while  Hardin  nodded  his  head  in  approval. 

"  It  does  me  good  to  hear  such  words;  you  are 
hardly  man-grown,  but  are  more  skilled  in  woodcraft 
and  knowledge  of  Indian  warfare,  Kenton  has  told 
me,  than  most  men,  and  there  are  not  many  better 
rifle  shots  than  you.  My  garrison  is  small,  number- 
ing only  one  hundred  and  sixty,  and  you  will  be 
more  than  welcome." 

"  That  suits  us  exactly,"  said  Hardin  ;  "  when  do 
you  think  the  attack  will  be  made  ?  " 

"  Why,  that  is  what  you  came  to  tell  me,''  re- 
plied the  Major,  with  a  smile. 

"  I  know  we  did,  but  we  don't  know  half  as  much 
about  the  business  as  you." 


236    TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

"  Proctor  is  drawing  near  as  rapidly  as  he  can, 
consistent  with  his  own  safety." 

"  Why,  what  danger  can  /le  be  in  ?  "  asked  Ben ; 
"  General  Smith  dares  n't  march  out  to  attack  him 
with  his  small  force,  and  I  'm  sure  j/ou  don't  intend 
to." 

"  Hardly,  but  Proctor  has  a  wholesome  fear  of 
General  Harrison ;  he  knows  he  left  some  time  ago 
for  reinforcements,  and  there  's  no  telling  when  he 
will  be  back;  it  is  possible  that  the  General  will  • 
meet  the  soldiers  on  the  way,  and  Proctor  would 
prefer  to  be  elsewhere  when  he  arrives." 

"  We  passed  pretty  close  to  Proctor,  but  did  not 
see  anything  of  his  army,  though  we  met  plenty  of 
his  scouts."  V 

"  I  think  we  shall  have  a  visit  from  him  in  the 
course  of  a  day  or  two,  though  I  shall  not  know 
with  certainty  until  I  receive  the  reports  of  my 
scouts  this  evening."  ^ 

"  You  have  n't  any  fear,  Major,"  said  Hardin, 
with  some  hesitation,  "  about  how  it  will  end  if  he 
attacks  you  ? " 

"  He  has  a  dozen  men  to  our  one,  but  we  are  be- 
hind breastworks  and  shall  make  the  best  light  we 
know  how.  Since  we  are  to  have  your  help,  I  may 
reply  that  I  am  very  hopeful  of  beating  off  the 
enemy." 

It  was  on  August  2,  1813,  that  the  British  Gen- 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  237 

eral,  Proctor,  appeared  with  his  large  force  in  front 
of  Fort  Stephenson,  the  enemy,  as  already  stated, 
outnumbering  the  small  garrison  by  more  than  ten 
to  one.  As  the  soldiers,  in  their  brilliant  uniforms, 
came  into  view  like  an  ocean  of  wild  flowers  fringing 
the  woods  and  overflowing  into  the  broad  clearing 
in  front  of  the  fort,  they  formed  an  impressive  sight, 
and  more  than  one  of  the  Americans,  who  looked 
upon  the  masses  of  men  gathering  for  battle,  turned 
pale  and  wondered  whether  by  any  miracle  they 
could  escape  falling  into  the  power  of  the  ruthless 
officer  who  paid  a  price  for  every  scalp  wrenched 
from  the  crowns  of  the  struggling  patriots. 

Hundreds  of  Indian  warriors  were  there,  moving 
among  the  trees,  but  taking  care  to  show  them- 
selves to  the  observant  garrison,  as  if  to  remind 
them  what  their  fate  would  be  if  they  dared  to 
brave  their  fury.  Tecumseh  was  not  present,  he 
being  with  the  main  body  in  front  of  Fort  Meigs, 
but  enough  of  the  savages  were  there  to  carry  out 
any  barbarous  scheme  that  the  British  leader  might 
conceive. 

When  General  Proctor  had  sufficiently  impressed 
the  little  band  of  defenders,  he  sent  forward  a  mes- 
senger under  a  flag  of  truce  to  M  ajor  Croghan.  The 
bearer  was  received,  and  the  American  officer  read 
the  written  message,  which  was  a  summons  to  sur- 
render, accompanied  by  the  usual  statement  that  in 


238     TECUMSEII,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  H" A  NOES. 

case  of  refusal,  General  Proctor  would  be  unable 
to  restrain  his  Indian  allies  from  massacring  every 
one  of  the  prisoners.  It  was  a  similar  message, 
conveyed  unofificially  to  Gen  William  Hull,  the 
year  before  at  Detroit,  which  terrified  that  timid 
commander  into  surrendering  his  entire  force  to 
General  Brock. 

But  a  different  man  from  General  Hull  com- 
manded at  Fort  Stephenson.  Ten  minutes  after 
the  reception  of  the  sum.mons  and  threat,  the  mes- 
senger placed  in  the  hands  of  General  Proctor  the 
reply,  which  stated  that  not  only  did  Major  Crog- 
han  refuse  to  surrender,  but  the  contingency  named 
by  Proctor  was  impossible,  since,  if  the  fort  fell  into 
the  possession  of  Proctor,  he  would  find  not  a  single 
prisoner  left  for  his  Indians  to  massacre.  In  other 
words.  Major  Croghan  declined  to  obey  the  sum- 
mons. 

It  has  been  stated  that  this  gallant  young  officer 
had  but  a  single  cannon  in  his  fort,  but  he  made  it 
do  the  duty  of  a  dozen.  It  was  first  loaded  with 
ball  and  then  crammed  to  the  muzzle  with  slugs 
and  bits  of  iron,  the  charge  of  powder  being  doubled. 
This  formidable  weapon  was  aimed  to  rake  the  ditch 
which  would  soon  be  swarming  with  assailants,  and 
carefully  masked,  so  that  the  enemy  suspected 
nothing  of  what  awaited  them. 

Major  Croghan  was  as  cool  as  a  veteran  of  three 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  239 

times  his  years.  He  moved  among  his  men,  inspir- 
ing confidence  by  his  calmness,  and  assuring  all  that 
if  they  did  their  duty  there  was  no  doubt  of  the  re- 
pulse of  the  enemy,  who  had  already  been  given 
more  than  one  taste  of  their  mettle.  Every  soldier 
was  placed  at  the  best  advantage,  so  that  from  be- 
hind the  defences  he  could  f.re  at  the  foe,  while  he 
was  almost  perfectly  protected  from  the  return  fire. 

"  Aim  low,"  said  the  Major;  "  don't  throw  away 
s.  shot,  and,  when  the  fighting  begins,  don't  stop 
until  not  a  Redcoat  or  Indian  is  visible." 

General  Proctor  must  have  expected  a  refusal 
from  the  American,  for  scarcely  was  it  received, 
when  his  men  advanced  to  the  assault.  The  de- 
fenders held  their  fire  until  the  ditch  was  crowded 
with  their  enemies,  and  then  the  overloaded  cannon 
was  fired. 

The  discharge  was  made  at  the  right  second,  and 
did  terrific  execution.  The  tempest  of  iron  scat- 
tered death  and  destruction  on  every  hand,  and  the 
assailants  broke  in  a  panic  and  skurried  across  the 
clearing,  as  the  first  advance  fled  before  the  fierce 
storm  at  Bunker  Hill. 

But,  as  in  the  former  case,  the  enemy  was  only 
repulsed,  and  Major  Croghan  knew  they  would  try 
the  assault  again.  While  the  smoke  was  still  issuing 
from  the  muzzle  of  the  cannon,  it  was  swung  round 
and  another  charge  rammed  home.     On  the  top  of 


240     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  W/NOES. 

that  was  jammed  the  bullets  and  iron  scraps,  until 
the  brazen  throat  could  hold  no  more.  Not  a  sec- 
ond was  lost,  for  there  was  nono  to  throw  away. 

Meanwhile,  the  soldiers  were  firing  their  muskets 
with  all  possible  rapidity,  and  many  a  Redcoat  and 
redskin  went  down  never  to  rise  again.  The  men 
did  not  forget  the  instructions  of  Major  Croghan, 
and  aimed  and  fired  as  fast  as  they  could  reload. 
The  enemy  was  equally  active,  and  their  bullets 
rattled  like  hail  against  the  logs  and  intrenchments, 
while  the  sullen  boom  of  the  artillery  and  the  crash- 
ing of  the  solid  shot  showed  that  a  more  se.ious 
danger  threatened  the  fort. 

General  Proctor  was  angered  by  the  repulse  of  the 
first  column,  and,  taking  care  to  keep  himself  be- 
yond reach  of  the  hurtling  shots,  gave  orders  for  a 
second  column  to  make  the  assault  and  capture  the 
fort.  They  were  to  press  on,  no  matter  how  mur- 
derous a  reception  they  received. 

All  this  compelled  some  delay,  which  was  suflfi- 
cient  for  Major  Croghan  to  reload  the  piece  that  had 
done  them  excellent  service. 

Once  mc.e  the  soldiers  crowded  forward,  shouting 
and  eager,  as  if  determined  to  override  all  obstacles, 
and,  dashing  over  the  intrenchments,  bayonet  the 
valiant  defenders.  Major  Croghan  himself  directed 
the  fire  of  the  cannon,  which  again  inflicted  more 
fearful  destruction  than  in  the  first  instance.     It  was 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  24 1 

more  than  the  bravest  men  could  stand.  Many  of 
their  officers  had  fallen,  and  those  that  were  left 
were  unable  to  hold  the  survivors  to  their  work. 
They  fled  across  the  plain,  with  their  officers  at 
their  heels,  waving  their  swords  and  vainly  com- 
manding them  to  return ;  and  as  they  fled  the  men 
continued  to  drop  on  every  hand,  for  within  the 
intrenchments  the  Americans  were  picking  them  off 
as  fast  as  they  could,  so  long  as  they  remained  in 
sight.  Not  until  no  human  target  presented  itself 
was  there  a  lull  in  the  firing. 

For  the  third  time  the  cannon  was  loaded  to  the 
muzzle,  and  Major  Croghan  grimly  awaited  another 
assault  from  the  enemy,  but  he  waited  in  vain.  Two 
such  repulses  were  sufficient  for  them. 

There  was  one  spectre  which  continually  haunted 
the  British  general :  that  was  the  stern  personality 
of  Gen.  William  Henry  Harrison.  As  we  have 
stated,  he  had  left  Fort  Meigs  some  time  before  for 
Kentucky  to  secure  reinforcements  to  drive  out  the 
invaders  upon  American  soil.  He  had  already 
proven  himself  to  be  a  skilful  as  well  as  a  brave 
general,  capable  of  striking  effective  blows,  and 
quick  to  seize  every  opportunity  presented  to  him 
in  the  complicated  game  of  war. 

Tecumseh,  whoso  ability  caused  his  appointment 

as  brigadier-general  in  the  British  army,  was  much 

the  superior  of  Proctor,  and,  though  a  savage  him- 
16 


242     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

self,  showed  greater  chivalry  and  regard  for  the 
humane  features  of  the  bitter  contest  than  did  the 
officer  from  whom  more  ought  to  have  been  ex- 
pected. Shortly  after  the  repulse  from  Fort  Ste- 
phenson, rumors  reached  Proctor  that  Harrison  was 
hurrying  northward  at  the  head  of  a  large  force. 
Frightened  by  the  news,  the  invader  withdrew  from 
before  the  post  that  had  been  so  bravely  defended, 
and  joined  his  Indian  allies  under  the  Shawanoe 
leader. 

Tecumseh  made  no  attempt  to  conceal  his  disgust. 

"  You  come  in  this  country  to  defeat  the  Ameri- 
cans," he  said  to  Proctor;  "  and  you  expect  to  do 
it  by  retreating;  why  did  you  ever  come  here  at 

all?" 

"  But,  Tecumseh,"  replied  the  commander,  anx- 
ious  to  retain  the  good-will  or  his  valuable  ally; 
"  we  cannot  have  victories  all  the  time." 

"  You  will  have  none  at  all!  "  was  the  impetuous 
response  ;  "we  conquered  the  Americans  at  the 
River  Raisin,  but  we  have  lost  more  men  than 
they,  and  now  you  have  been  defeated  again.  My 
warriors  will  not  remain  with  me ;  many  have  al- 
ready left,  for  they  see  no  hope." 

"  Surely  so  eloquent  an  orator  as  Tecumseh  can 
keep  them  with  him  and  bring  more  to  his  help." 

The  chieftain  impatiently  shook  his  head. 

"  Why  should  I  ask  them  to  fight,  when  you  run 


BRILLIANT  WORK.  243 

away  ?  You  are  afraid  to  expose  yourself  to  the 
bullets  of  the  Americans ;  when  your  men  and  my 
warriors  fall,  you  are  safe  beyond  harm ;  you  prom- 
ise me  to  fight,  and  then  when  all  is  ready  you  run 
away. 

These  were  daring  words  to  say  to  the  leader  of 
the  British,  army,  but  Tecumseh  always  said  what 
he  believed  to  whomsoever  was  before  him.  It  was 
true,  as  he  declared,  that  several  hundred  of  his 
warriors  had  withdrawn  from  the  British  army  and 
gone  to  their  homes,  disgusted  with  the  manner  in 
which  the  campaign  was  conducted.  Many  more 
would  have  departed  but  for  Tecumseh's  pleadings. 
He  assured  them  that  he  would  not  permit  Proctor 
to  continue  his  dilatory  tactics;  he  would  compel 
him  to  fight,  and.  if  he  refused  to  do  so,  he  himself 
would  withdraw  with  them.  He  was  thus  enabled 
to  keep  a  formidable  body  under  his  command,  and 
since  events  elsewhere  had  mostly  gone  in  favor  of 
the  British,  the  chieftain  was  persuaded  partially  to 
believe  that  the  triumphs  would  be  shared  by  the 
army  under  the  command  of  Proctor  to  which  his 
warriors  were  attached. 

No  repulse  could  have  been  more  disastrous  than 
that  received  by  General  Proctor  in  his  attack  upon 
Fort  Stephenson.  He  lost  one  hundred  and  twenty 
men  in  killed- and  wounded,  and,  alarmed  by  the  re- 
ports of  ar  idvance  of  General  Harrison,  abandoned 


244     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

the  siege  as  already  stated.  The  truth  was  Harri- 
son was  not  in  the  neig  borhood,  and  had  the 
enemy  displayed  half  the  skill  they  showed  else- 
where, the  post  must  have  fallen.  Of  the  garrison, 
one  man  was  killed  and  three  wounded,  none 
seriously. 

It  has  been  said  that  there  were  few  land  cam- 
paigns during  the  War  of  1812  which  we  can  recall 
with  pride.  The  remembrance  of  more  than  one 
must  bring  the  tinge  of  shame  to  our  cheeks,  though 
Generals  Scott,  Brown,  Ripley,  and  others  proved 
themselves  heroic  leaders,  and  did  their  part  in  re- 
pelling the  invaders.  But  among  all  the  achieve- 
ments  there  was  no  exploit  more  brilliant  than  the 
defence  of  Fort  Stephenson,  in  early  August,  181 3. 
For  his  heroism.  Major  Croghan  was  presented  with 
a  handsome  sword  by  the  ladies  of  Chillicothe, 
Ohio,  and  Congress  voted  him  the  thanks  of  the 
nation.  Some  years  later,  he  was  presented  with 
the  gold  medal  that  he  had  so  gallantly  won. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

A  STINGING   REBUKE. 

BEN  MAYBERRY  and  George  Hardin  were  in 
Fort  Stephenson  all  through  the  desperate 
fight  with  Proctor,  and  they  acquitted  themselves 
like  men.  A  bullet  nipped  off  one  of  Hardin's 
curls  at  the  temple,  and  the  coat  of  Ben  was  pierced 
by  a  bullet  which  grazed  the  skin.  The  two  re- 
mained at  the  post  as  long  as  there  seemed  a  prob- 
ability of  the  attack  being  renewed,  and,  when  all 
danger  of  that  had  passed,  they  left  for  Fort  Meigs, 
to  which  General  Harrison  soon  returned.  As  be- 
fore, the  young  scouts  were  ready  for  any  duty  that 
might  be  required  of  them. 

Important  movements  impended  on  both  sides. 
As  the  war  progressed  and  the  enemy  grew  more 
determined,  our  Government  saw  the  need  of  vigor 
and  skill  in  defence.  The  process  of  weeding  out 
the  incompetent  jofficers,  which  is  always  necessary 
after  the  beginning  of  hostilities,  was  pushed,  and, 
though  more  disasters  followed,  a  greater  semblance 
to  scientific  warfare  was  secured. 

One  truth  had  become  apparent  to  Proctor  and 

245 


246     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

his  officers ;  it  was  impossible  to  capture  the  West- 
ern posts  until  the  mastery  of  Lake.  Erie  was 
secured.  The  enemy  had  a  strong  squadron  on  the 
lake,  but  the  Americans  disputed  their  supremacy, 
and  the  decisive  battle  remained  to  be  fought. 

There  was  abundant  work  for  General  Harrison's 
scouts.  Simon  Kenton  was  continually  on  duty. 
He  penetrated  the  hostile  lines  and  brought  back 
information  of  the  greatest  importance.  Once  he 
was  captured  by  a  band  of  Wyandots,  but  when  all 
hope  seemed  gone,  he  effected  his  escape  and  re- 
joined his  friends  without  a  scratch.  In  what  man- 
ner this  remarkable  feat  was  accomplished,  the  scout 
never  explained.  His  truthfulness  would  not  per- 
mit him  to  fabricate  a  story,  and  for  some  reason 
known  only  to  himself,  he  never  would  make  known 
the  particulars. 

"  I  got  into  trouble,  as  I  told  you,"  he  said,  with 
a  grin;  "  but  I  got  out  agin,  and  am  here  ready  for 
bus'ness — ain't  that  enough  ?" 

"  I  think  I  understand  it,"  remarked  George 
Hardin,  as  he  and  Ben  Mayberry  were  scouting 
through  the  woods  in  the  rear  of  Proctor's  army. 

"  Well,  how  do  you  understand  it  ?  " 

"  He  got  away  through  the  help  of  Tecumseh." 

"  Why  do  you  think  that  ?  " 

"  Because  I  can't  see  why,  if  it  was  done  in  some 
other  way,  Kenton  would  have  any  reason  for  not 


A    STINGING  REBUKE.  247 

telling;  he  is  generally  ready  to  answer  all  ques- 
tions." 

"  If  it  was  through  the  help  of  Tecumseh,  why 
should  n't  he  say  so  ?  " 

"  Don't  you  see  what  harm  it  would  do  Tecum- 
seh ?  If  Kenton  made  it  known  that  the  chief  saved 
him,  when  he  could  n't  help  himself,  the  fact  would 
get  to  Tecumseh 's  Indians  in  some  way.  If  we 
have  spies  in  Proctor's  camp,  he  has  spies  in  ours, 
and  the  news  would  travel  fast.  All  the  Indians 
know  Kenton,  and  if  they  should  learn  that  the 
most  dangerous  man  in  our  whole  army  had  been 
set  free  by  one  of  the  brigadier-generals  of  their  own 
race,  it  would  weaken  the  power  of  Tecumseh." 

"  I  always  fancied  that  he  was  not  afraid  to  do 
anything  he  chose  with  his  people  and  no  one  dared 
to  question  him." 

"  I  suppose  that  is  so,  but  Kenton  says  the  In- 
dians are  dissatisfied  with  the  way  things  are  going; 
many  of  them  have  left,  and  still  more  would  go  if 
they  had  the  pretext  which  this  act  of  friendship 
would  give  them." 

"  Would  n't  that  be  a  great  advantage  to  us  ? " 

"  Yes;  but  dishonorable  toward  Tecumseh,  and 
Simon  Kenton  would  die  before  doing  a  mean  thing 
or  betraying  a  friend. " 

"  And  so  would  Tecumseh,  but  it  is  n't  safe  for 
the  rest  of  us  to  count  on  his  friendship ;  he  's  fight- 


248     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

ing  like  a  demon  now,  and  eager  to  kill  as  many 
Americans  as  he  can." 

The  youths  had  halted  beside  a  small  stream  of 
clear  water,  from  which  they  drank,  while  they  ate 
their  modest  lunch.  They  had  seen  no  signs  of  In- 
dians since  leaving  camp  early  that  morning,  and 
believed  themselves  so  far  to  the  rear  of  the  British 
army  that  there  was  little  or  no  danger;  but  it  need 
not  be  said  that  when  without  the  lines  of  their 
friends  they  conducted  themselves  much  the  same 
as  if  within  those  of  their  enemies.  They  had  care- 
fully reconnoitred  their  surroundings  before  sitting 
down  for  the  brief  rest.  Their  tones  were  as  low 
as  if  they  knew  a  band  of  Indians  were  encamped 
within  a  hundred  feet  of  them,  and  both  were  con- 
tinually glancing  to  the  right  and  left,  and  at  every 
point  of  the  compass.  It  was  because  of  this  vigil- 
ance that  they  detected  the  approach  o^a  young 
man  in  the  uniform  of  a  British  officer  before  he  ob- 
served them,  though  that  followed  within  the  same 
minute.  '•■ 

He  was  a  handsome  youth,  not  much  older  than 
themselves,  with  a  pleasing  face  and  attractive  per- 
sonality. His  hand  rested  on  the  hilt  of  his  sword 
at  his  side,  and  it  was  evident  from  his  looks  and 
manner  that  he  was  tired,  warm,  and  thirsty,  for 
the  day  was  unusually  sultry,  and  he  had  walked  a 
long  way.     He  was  looking  for  water,  and  when  he 


A    STINGING  REBUKE.  249 

caught  the  gleam  of  the  sparkling  stream,  his  eyes 
brightened  and  his  footsteps  quickened. 

But  fate  so  willed  it  that  as  he  came  along  the 
trail,  he  walked  directly  toward  the  two  youths, 
one  of  whom  came  like  a  flash  to  his  feet  with  his 
rifle  levelled. 

"  Surrender!  "  commanded  the  young  Kentuck- 
ian,  who  had  assumed  this  threatening  pose. 

The  officer  stopped,  glanced  keenly  at  them,  and 
whipp    1  out  his  sword. 

"  None  of  that!  "  warned  Hardin,  who  now  came 
to  his  feet  with  gun  pointed ;  "  you  are  our  prisoner, 
and  can't  help  yourself." 

The  officer  smiled  and  made  a  military  salute  with 
his  weapon. 

"  All  right,"  he  said;  "  it  looks  as  if  you  had 
me,  but  I  am  frightfully  thirsty,  and  I  trust  you 
will  allow  me  to  drink  from  the  little  stream  at  your 
feet ;  I  have  been  looking  for  something  of  the  kind 
for  the  last  two  hours." 

The  young  scouts  had  expected  nothing  like  this. 
The  officer  showed  no  sign  of  fear  after  the  first 
moment  of  discovery,  and,  as  if  there  could  be  no 
refusal  of  the  permission  he  asked,  he  walked  for- 
ward, still  smiling  and  courteous. 

The  youths  were  suspicious,  fearing  that  his  ap- 
proach was  meant  to  veil  a  sudden  attack  upon 
them.     The  officer  seemed  to  have  no  firearms,  his 


250    TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

only  weapon  being  his  sword,  which  he  still  held  in 
his  hand.  Ben  was  on  the  point  of  ordering  him  to 
return  it  to  its  sheath,  when  he  deftly  did  so,  thus 
virtually  disarming  himself  for  the  moment,  though 
he  still  possessed  the  weapon. 

"  Do  you  surrender  ?  "  demanded  the  young  Ken- 
tuckian,  stepping  across  the  brook  and  barring  the 
way  of  the  officer;  "  you  must  do  that  before  we 
allow  you  to  drink." 

"  Well,  there  does  n't  seem  to  be  any  help  for  it." 
"  You  have  n't  answered  my  question." 
"  Yes,  I  surrender;  do  you  demand  my  sword  ?  " 
"  No,"  replied  Ben,  seeing  a  certain  humor  in  the 
situation;  "your  surrender  is  accepted  with  the 
honors  of  war;  you  may  keep  your  sword." 

"  Many  thanks  for  the  kindness;  I  shall  remem- 
ber  the  favor  when  our  si..uations  are  reversed,  and 
you  become  my  prisoners." 

"  We  don't  intend  to  become  your  prisoners." 
.  "Of  course  not;  I  did  not  intend  to  become 
yours,  but  there  's  no  telling  what  a  day  may  bring 
forth  ;  nothing  is  lost  by  observing  these  little 
amenities;  and  now,  if  you  will  allow  me  to  drink 
dry  that  small  river  behind  you,  my  bliss  will  be 
complete." 

Ben  stepped  aside,  and,  advancing  with  a  bow, 
the  officer  removed  his  hat,  knelt  down  and  drank 
a  refreshing  draught  of  the  sparkling  water.     He 


LIEUTENANT  BROWN  AND  THE   SCOUTS.  Page  2JO. 


A   STINGING  REBUKE.  2$! 

sighed  with  enjoyment  as  he  drew  a  spotless  white 
handkerchief  and  wiped  his  mouth.  Then  sitting 
down  on  the  declivity  near  them,  he  said  with  the 
utmost  coolness: 

"  My  name  is  Lieutenant  Gerald  Brown  of  His 
Majesty's  Seventy-Fourth;  I  assume  from  your 
dress  and  the  fact  that  you  seem  to  be  alone,  that 
you  are  scouts  in  the  employ  of  General  Harrison  ?  " 

"  You  are  correct,"  replied  Hardin. 

"  Is  it  not  dangerous  for  you  to  venture  so  far 
from  your  lines  without  any  friends  within  call  ?  " 

"  It  is  not  the  first  time  we  have  done  so." 

The  instant  George  Hardin  uttered  these  words, 
he  saw  the  grave  mistake  he  had  committed.  His 
reply  was  an  admission  to  Lieutenant  Brown  that 
they  were  beyond  the  immediate  reach  of  any  of 
their  friends,  and  it  was  probable  that  it  was  the 
very  information  the  officer  sought  when  he  asked 
the  apparently  innocent  question. 

It  occurred  to  Ben  Mayberry  at  the  same  moment 
that  it  was  rather  curious  that  this  officer  should 
also  be  alone  upon  what  at  least  was  debatable 
ground.  Could  it  be  that  some  of  his  friends  were 
near  ?  If  so,  the  situation  of  the  scouts  might  prove 
anything  but  pleasant. 

"  How  far  off  are  your  friends  ?  "  asked  Hardin, 
who,  like  his  comrade,  had  seated  himself  within  a 
few  feet  of  the  prisoner.     The  latter  seemed  wholly 


252     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

at  home.  He  was  lolling  on  the  ground,  his  body 
supported  on  one  elbow,  while,  after  drawing  his 
handkerchief  across  his  moist  forehead,  he  flung  it 
into  his  hat  which  he  laid  on  the  bank.  Then  with 
a  genial  smile  he  looked  up  at  his  questioner. 

"  Now,  you  would  n't  compel  a  fellow  in  my  posi- 
tion to  give  valuable  information  to  the  enemy, 
would  you  ?  " 

"  We  could  n't  compel  you  to  do  anything,"  an- 
swered Hardin,  with  a  blush ;  "  but  having  admitted 
that  we  may  have  entered  into  an  unsafe  position,  I 
see  no  reason  why  you  should  refuse  to  be  equally 
frank. 

•'  Very  well,  I  will  do  so;  my  danger  is  not  one 
tenth  as  great  as  yours." 

*•  How  do  you  figure  that  out  ?  "  asked  Ben,  with 
vague  uneasiness. 

"  Well,  you  are  a  long  way  from  your  friends;  I 
am  very  close  to  mine." 

"  How  close  ?  " 

"  So  close  that  if  I  raised  my  voice  they  would 
hear  me ;  all  I  should  have  to  say  would  be  '  /iere  !  ' 
in  just  such  a  tone  as  that  to  bring  them  to  my 

help. 

Was  there  ever  such  a  clever  piece  of  impudence  ? 
While  answering  the  question  of  his  captors,  he 
called  to  his  friends  to  come  to  his  help! 

And  it  was  no  idle  boast  on  the  part  of  Lieuten- 


A    STINGING  REBUKE.  253 

ant  Brown,  for  the  words  were  yet  on  his  tongue 
when  eight  soldiers  and  the  Wyandot  half-breed, 
Wallah,  came  into  sight  at  the  very  spot  where  the 
young  officer  had  presented  himself,  and  drew  near. 

"  Now,  gentlemen,"  observed  Lieutenant  Brown, 
leaping  to  his  feet  and  bowing  first  to  the  right  and 
then  to  the  left;  "  may  I  have  the  liberty  of  asking 
you  to  be  good  enough  to  acknowledge  yourselves 
prisoners  of  mine  ?  Sorry  to  trouble  you,  but  really 
there  seems  no  h  p  for  it,  and  such,  you  know,  are 
the  fortunes  of  war." 

Ben  and  George  bit  their  lips  with  chagrin,  for, 
as  their  captor  said,  there  was  no  help  for  it.  The 
tables  had  been  turned  with  a  vengernce.  Having 
learned  that  no  friends  of  the  yowng  men  were 
within  call,  Lieutenant  Brown  summoned  his  own, 
and  made  prisoners  of  the  young  scouts  while  they 
stood  at  his  side,  and  withm  a  few  minutes  after  he 
had  surrendered  to  them.  Ben  Maybcrry  could  not 
resist  a  bitter  exclamation,  and  he  gnashed  his  teeth 
in  helpless  anger.  J*v 

"  I  beg  you  not  to  allow  ycurself  to  get  excited," 
remarked  Lieutenant  Brown,  suavely;  "  such,  I  re- 
peat, are  the  fortunes  of  war,  and  I  shall  reciprocate 
the  courtesy  you  showed  me  by  allowing  you  to 
keep  your  rifles,  of  which  you  are  undoubtedly 
quite  fond.     Do  I  understand  you  to  surrender  ?  " 

"  How  can  we  help  it  ?  "  growled  Hardin. 


254     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

"  I  beg  your  pardon,  but  you  have  not  answered 
my  question." 

Fate  seemed  to  have  ordered  that  the  whole  thing 
should  be  repeated,  and  George  contributed  his  part 
by  answering : 

"  Yes,  we  surrender." 

He  would  have  offered  to  give  up  their  weapons 
had  not  their  captor  informed  them  they  might  be 
retained. 

Meanwhile,  the  eight  soldiers  and  Wallah  came 
forward,  all  of  them  easily  reading  the  situation  of 
matters. 

"  Halt!  "  ordered  the  lieutenant,  raising  his  hand. 
The  soldiers  who  were  straggling  forward  without 
regard  to  step,  instantly  paused,  but  the  half-breed, 
laying  one  hand  on  his  knife  at  his  girdle,  con- 
tinned  to  advance.  • 

"  Ha/t  /  "  repeated  the  oflficer,  addressing  him 
directly.  There  was  an  ominous  gleam  in  his  eyes 
as  he  too  laid  his  hand  on  the  hilt  of  his  weapon. 
The  miscreant  was  cowed,  and  fell  sullenly  back 
among  the  soldiers. 

"  Keep  your  guns,"  repeated  the  officer  in  a  lower 
tone  to  the  youths,  "  and  if  that  devil  interferes 
with  you,  kill  him!  " 

"  Why  not  let  us  do  so  now  ?  "  asked  Ben,  who 
knew  the  treacherous  nature  of  the  half-breed.  But 
the  lieutenant  shook  his  head. 


A    STINGING  REBUKE.  255 

"  It  won't  do;  I  'II  keep  an  eye  on  him." 

It  had  been  the  hope  of  the  young  scouts  that 
Wallah  had  fallen  in  the  attack  on  Fort  Stephen- 
son, but  he  seemed  to  possess  the  faculty  like  Proc- 
tor of  keeping  out  of  harm's  way.  In  some  manner 
he  learned  or  suspected  that  his  true  character  had 
been  discovered,  and  took  care  to  keep  beyond 
reach  of  the  Americans,  who  would  have  made  short 
work  with  him  had  the  chance  been  theirs. 

It  was  a  bitter  experience,  for  our  young  friends, 
who  had  but  the  single  consolation  of  knowing  they 
had  been  taken  prisoner  by  an  honorable  foe,  who 
would  protect  them  from  injustice,  so  long  as  the 
power  was  his. 

It  was  a  revelation  to  the  youths  when  they  had 
not  marched  more  than  an  eighth  of  a  mile  that 
they  were  ushered  into  the  camp  of  General  Proc- 
tor, who  they  supposed  was  a  number  of  miles  dis- 
tant. His  army  had  encamped  in  a  large  open 
space,  near  a  broad  stream  of  water,  and  pickets 
were  placed  to  guard  against  surprise.  Since  his 
junction  with  his  Indian  allies,  the  British  leadet 
probably  had  about  four  thousand  under  his  com- 
mand, despite  the  withdrawals  of  the  dissatisfied 
ones. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  Lieutenant  Brown  with  his 
two  prisoners,  he  turned  them  over  to  another 
officer,  who  conducted  the  lads  to  a  space  near  the 


256       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

middle  of  the  large  encampment,  where  they  found 
about   twenty   partners   in    captivity.     These  con- 
sisted of  regular  soldiers  who  had  been  captured 
during  the  fighting.     They  were  not  bound,  since 
their  location  with  a  couple  of  guards  on  duty  pre- 
vented any  attempt  to  escape.     The  prisoners  were 
lolling  on  the  ground,  some  smoking  their  pipes, 
others  talking,  while  two  were    playing  some  sort 
of  game,  by  flinging  their  partly-closed  jack-knives 
into  the  air  and  watching  them  as  they  struck  the 
ground.     Two  others  were  stretched  on  their  backs, 
with  their  hats  over  their  faces,  sound  asleep.     All 
were  of  that  rollicking,  careless  nature  which  seems 
as  contented  in  misfortune  as  in  prospenty.     They 
took  scarcely  any  notice  of  Ben  and  George,  who, 
in  obedience  to  the  command  of  their  new  officer, 
walked  into  the  circle,  as  it  may  be  called,  and  sat 
down  somewhat  to  one  side  and  near  each  other, 
too  much  depressed  to  utter  a  word. 

But  they  were  not  left  long  to  themselves.  Sud- 
denly Ben  Mayberry,  who  was  watching  the  two 
soldiers  playing  with  their  jack-knives,  received  a 
cracking  blow  on  his  crown  which  made  him  see 

stars. 

•'  Who  the  mischief  did  that  ?  "  he  demanded, 
drawing  his  knife  and  wheeling  around,  for  after 
their  arrival  in  camp  the  rifles  of  the  boys  had  been 
taken  from  them. 


A    STINGING  REBUKE.  2^ 

A  dozen  Shawanoes,  Wyandots,  and  Pottawato- 
mies  had  gathered  near  the  group  of  prisoners,  with 
the  manifest  purpose  of  having  some  entertainment 
at  their  expense.  They  were  grinning  and  talking 
among  themselves,  while  each  one  was  provided 
with  a  long,  heavy  stick  or  club.  Not  only  they 
but  other  Indians  were  converging  from  different 
points,  all  bent  on  the  same  purpose. 

Both  of  the  guards  saw  the  blow  struck  the  young 
Kentuckian,  but  instead  of  interposing,  they  laughed 
as  if  it  was  all  a  pleasant  joke.  Clearly,  no  protec- 
tion was  to  be  expected  from  them. 

"  D  n't  do  anything,"  admonished  Hardin;  "  we 
can't  help  ourselves." 

"  I  believe  it  was  that  Wallah  who  hit  me;  I 
would  like  to  have  one  chance  at  him." 

"  It  would  delight  them  to  have  us  resist,  and 
only  make  it  worse  for  us." 

Five  minutes  later  the  Indians  had  increased  to 
fifty,  with  others  still  coming.  They  were  in  high 
spirits  and  having  capital  fun  with  the  prisoners. 
The  two  soldiers  who  had  been  playing  with  their 
jack-knives  abruptly  stopped  the  game  and  were 
kept  dodging  back  and  forth  to  escape  the  blows 
that  were  struck  from  every  direction.  The  sleep- 
ers were  aroused  by  whacks  which  almost  fracture  ' 
their  skulls,  while  not  a  single  prisoner  was  allowed 
to  rest  for  a  moment.     When  one  leaped  away  from 

«7 


258       TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

his  prosecutor  on  one  side  of  the  space,  it  was  to 
meet  others  who  rained  their  blows  upon  him  until 
the  bewildered  fellow  had  no  way  to  turn.  Bruised, 
bleeding,  and  defenceless,  the  victim  sank  to  the 
ground,  while  the  brutal  tormentors  kept  their  clubs 
continually  swinging. 

The  activity  of  the  young  scouts  enabled  them 
for  a  time  to  escape  many  of  the  blows.     More  than 
once  the  club  aimed  at  them  d- /.ended  upon  others, 
but  the  Indians  crowded  around  =o  thickly  that  it 
was  impossible  to  elude  ail  of  them.     Shoulders, 
legs,  heads,  and  arms  were  racked  with  pain,  while 
the  excitement  of  the  Indians  increased  with  the 
growing   anguish  of  the  prisoners.     It  would  not 
take  long  to  work  themselves  up  to  a  pitch  that 
they  would  draw  their  knives  and  massacre  every 
one  of  the  Americans. 

The  guards  had  stepped  out  of  the  way  so  as  to 
give    the    Indians   free   room.     But   the   strangest 
feature  of  this  painful  business  was  that  among  the 
spectators  watching  the  shameful  scene  was  General 
Proctor  himself.     He  stood  with  arms  folded,  an 
amused  smile  on  his   face,    while    occasionally   he 
threw  back  his  head  with  uproarious  laughter  when 
some  miserable  victim,  blirded  with  pain,  and  with 
the  blood  streaming  over  his  face,  made  a  grotesque 
attempt  to  escape  those  that  were  torturing  him. 
The  scene  became  more  distressing  every  minute. 


A    STINGING  REBUKE.  259 

The  crisis  was  at  hand,  when  the  Indians  would 
throw  aside  their  clubs  and  draw  their  knives. 
Then  heaven  help  the  poor  prisoners! 

Suddenly  the  sound  of  a  horse's  hoofs  were  heard 
amid  the  din.  The  animal  was  coming  on  a  full 
run,  and  the  next  instant  dashed  up  to  the  throng, 
and  as  he  was  thrown  on  his  haunches,  Tecumseh, 
his  face  ablaze  with  fury,  leaped  to  the  ground. 
With  one  sweep  of  his  mighty  arm,  he  smote  Wal- 
lah, the  half-breed  full  in  the  face,  and  stretched 
him  senseless  on  his  back ;  then  with  lightning-like 
quickness,  he  almost  broke  the  skull  of  another  of 
the  tormentors,  and,  whipping  out  his  knife,  thun- 
dered : 

"  I  will  kill  the  first  one  who  lays  hands  on  the 
prisoners!  " 

Wheeling  about  so  as  to  face  General  Proctor,  he 
demanded,  with  flashing  eyes: 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  permitting  this  ?  " 

"  Sir,"  replied  the  embarrassed  officer,  "  your 
warriors  cannot  be  restrained." 

The  lip  of  the  great  Shawanoe  curled  with  scorn, 
and,  pointing  his  finger  at  him,  he  said  with  blister- 
ing sarcasm : 

"  You  are  not  fit  to  command!  Go  home,  and 
put  on  petticoats!  " 


'^  CHAPTER   XIX. 


THE  TURNING   OF  THE   TIDE. 

NO  man  who  had  seen  Tecumseh  when  roused 
to  wrath  ever  willingly  provoked  him.  He 
overawed  the  savage  tormentors  gathered  round  the 
prisoners,  and  they  slunk  away,  like  so  many  school- 
children under  the  lash  of  their  teacher.  General 
Proctor  was  about  to  add  some  words  of  explana- 
tion to  what  he  had  said,  when  the  chieftain,  with 
one  contemptuous  glance  at  him,  turned  his  back 
and  left  him  alone. 

Three  days  later  an  unexpected  piece  of  good 
fortune  came  to  Ben  Mayberrvr,  George  Hardin,  and 
the  remaining  prisoners.  They  were  exchanged 
and  sent  back  to  the  army  under  General  Harrison. 
It  may  be  believed  that  Proctor  was  relieved  to  be 
rid  of  what  could  not  fail  to  be  a  disturbing  element 

in  his  army. 

It  has  been  shown  that  the  enemy  saw  the  impos- 
sibility of  capturing  the  Western  posts  until  they 
first  secured  the  mastery  of  Lake  Erie.  The  Amer- 
icans on  their  part  decided  to  fit  out  a  squadron  on 
Lake  Ontario,  not  only  to  resist  the  British  vessels, 

86o 


THE    TURNING  OF   THE    TIDE.  26 1 

but  to  carry  troops  to  such  points  as  needed  them. 
The  chief  American  port  on  the  lakes  was  Sackett's 
Harbor.  It  was  made  a  naval  depot,  and  Commo- 
dore Chauncey  spent  the  closing  months  of  1812 
and  the  opening  ones  of  the  following  year  in  con- 
structing and  launching  a  squadron  to  operate  on 
Lake  Ontario. 

In  April,  York,  now  Toronto,  was  captured,  the 
British  troops  fleeing  so  rapidly  that  they  left  their 
'baggage  behind.  Sackett's  Harbor  being  left  un- 
covered, it  was  attacked  by  a  strong  force  of  the 
enemy,  who  received  a  decisive  repulse  at  the  hands 
of  General  Brown,  but  a  number  of  conflicts  which 
followed  were  unfavorable  to  the  Americans. 

At  the  time  of  these  events,  Oliver  Hazard  Perry 
was  vigorously  engaged  in  building  a  squadron  to 
operate  on  Lake  Erie.  He  had  entered  the  navy  in 
1799,  when  fourteen  years  old,  being  the  son  of  a 
naval  officer,  and  he  was  only  twenty-eight  years  of 
age  when  he  made  ready  to  try  conclusions  with  the 
fleet  cf  Commodore  Barclay.  .. 

It  chafed  Perry  to  see  the  British  fleet  sailing 
complacently  around  the  lake,  and,  although  he  had 
never  taken  part  in  a  naval  battle,  he  was  impatient 
to  fight  the  insolent  invaders.  By  extraordinary 
exertions  he  completed  his  fleet  of  nine  vessels,  of 
which  the  Laivrence  was  the  flagship.  Eager  as  he 
was  to  attack  the  enemy,  he  was  too  wise  to  neglect 


262       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

any  necessary  preparation.  He  drilled  his  men  to 
a  high  state  of  efficiency,  and  was  in  command  of  a 
formidable  force  when  he  sailed  out  of  Put-in  Bay, 
early  in  September,  1813,  about  a  month  after  the 
gallant  defence  of  Fort  Stephenson.  He  carried 
fifty-five  guns,  while  the  six  vessels  of  Commodore 
Barclay  had  sixty-three,  the  number  of  men  being 
nearly  equal.  ' 

The  two  fleets  met  on  the  loth  of  Sep '•'^mber  at 
the  western  end  of  Lake  Erie.  When  forming  his 
line  of  battle.  Perry  ran  up  a  flag  displaying  the  last 
words  of  the  immortal  Lawrence,  killed  in  his  fight 
with  the  Shannon  three  months  before — "  Don't 
give  up  the  ship  ! '' 

From  the  moment  of  opening  the  battle,  the 
enemy  concentrated  a  tremendous  fire  on  the  Law- 
rence, as  if  determined  to  sink  it  and  its  commander. 
The  crashing  shot  wrought  such  havoc  that  at  the 
end  of  two  hours  the  flagship  was  sinking.  The 
Niagara  showed  scarcely  any  effects  of  the  battle, 
and,  springing  into  an  open  boat,  Perry  ordered  the 
sailors  to  row  him  to  that  vessel.  They  dipped 
their  oars  and  rowed  with  might  and  main,  with  the 
shot  flying  all  around  them. 

Perry  was  so  aglow  with  the  inspiration  of  battle 
that,  instead  of  sitting  down,  as  he  ought  to  have 
done,  he  stood  erect  at  the  stern  in  full  uniform,  as 
he  passed  within  pistol  shot  of  the  enemy.     He  was 


THE    TURNING  OF   THE    TIDE.  263 

recognized  by  them,  and  a  fire  was  converged  upon 
him  so  hot  and  continuous,  that  the  wonder  is  he 
was  not  quickly  killed.  Not  a  hair  of  his  head, 
however,  was  harmed. 

All  at  once  in  the  crisis  of  this  strange  scene  the 
sailors  stopped. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  "  asked  the  won- 
dering Periy,  looking  down  into  the  bronzed  faces. 

"  Not  another  stroke  will  we  row,"  replied  a 
burly  seaman,  "  until  you  sit  down!  " 

If  the  sailors  showed  a  lack  of  discipline,  it  cer- 
tainly was  not  a  lack  of  wisdom,  for  the  action  of 
their  commander  was  inexcusably  reckless.  He 
realized  it,  and  sat  down.  Instantly  the  paddles 
were  dipped  again,  and  the  lusty  arms  quickly 
placed  the  smaller  boat  alongside  the  Niagara, 
upon  which  the  commodore's  flag  was  immediately 
hoisted. 

The  fight  was  now  renewed  with  the  utmost 
fierceness.  While  the  advantage  was  with  the 
Americans,  owing  to  their  superior  markmanship, 
it  was  not  decisive.  It  became  necessary  for  Com- 
modore Barclay  to  arrange  a  new  line  of  battle,  and 
he  was  engaged  at  the  difificult  work  when  Perry, 
seizing  the  critical  opportunity,  sent  the  Niagara 
directly  among  the  enemy's  vessels,  delivering 
broadsides  ri;;ht  and  left.  The  other  ships  hurried 
to  his  aid,  and  the  united  fire  became  so  destructive 


264       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHAWANOES. 

that  at  the  end  of  fifteen  minutes,  Commodore  Bar- 
clay  surrendered,  that  being  the  first  time  in  the 
history  of  England  that  she  had  ever  surrendered  an 
entire  squadron. 

When  the  question  is  asked  why  England,  the 
greatest  naval  power  in  the  wc/ld,  was  so  uniformly 
unsuccessful  on  the  ocean  against  us,  the  answer  is 
found  in  the  wonderful  accuracy  of  our  firing.  This 
was  repeatedly  proven  in  the  remarkable  victories 
on  the  ocean,  and  was  strikingly  shown  in  the  de- 
cisive victory  on  Lake  Erie.  The  British  loss  was 
two  hundred  killed  and  wounded  ;  that  of  the 
Americans,  twenty-seven  killed  and  ninety-six 
wounded.  Commodore  Barclay  went  into  the 
battle  with  one  arm,  and  when  he  came  out  the 
other  was  gone,  while  six  hundred  of  his  men  were 
made  prisoners.  It  is  easy  to  sympathize  with  the 
exultant  note  of  Commodore  Perry,  hurriedly  writ- 
ten and  despatched  to  General  Harrison:  "We 
have  met  the  enemy  and  they  are  ours.  Two  shijis, 
two  brigs,  one  schooner,  and  one  sloop." 

This  extraordinary  victory  was  of  the  highest  im- 
portance, and  marked  the  turning  of  the  tide. 
Vastly  more  depended  on  it  than  a  superficial 
glance  would  show,  and  Proctor  wui.  as  anxious  to 
hear  the  news  as  Harrison.  Had  Perry  been  de- 
feated. Proctor  intended  to  invade  Ohio,  and,  in 
the  confident  expectation  that  he  would  fail,  the 


THE    TURNING  OF  THE    TIDE.  26$ 

British  commander  had  made  preparations  to  cross 
the  lake.  On  the  other  hand,  if  Perry  won,  Harri- 
son meant  to  march  into  Canada,  and  with  equal 
faith  in  the  skill  and  bravery  of  his  fellow-patriots 
he  was  ready  to  march  as  soon  as  he  received  the 
momentous  tidings.  Before  the  close  of  the  month, 
he  embarked  with  his  army  at  Sandusky  Bay,  and 
landed  near  Maiden  on  the  Canada  side. 

The  scouts  of  Proctor  gave  him  due  notice  of  the 
approach  of  his  enemy.  Expecting  his  appearance. 
Proctor  called  a  council  of  war,  at  which  Tecumseh 
was  present.  The  chief  was  taciturn  and  angry, 
for,  despite  his  protests,  the  British  leader  had 
steadily  fallen  back  before  the  advance  of  the 
American,  and  he  was  prepared  to  hear  another  re- 
treat decided  upon. 

The  map  which  Proctor  often  consulted^  and 
which  was  passed  around  among  his  officers,  was 
one  of  the  most  curious  that  has  ever  served  a  mili- 
tary commander.  A  large  piece  of  birch  bark  had 
been  stripped  from  the  tree,  and  upon  the  white 
inner  surface  all  the  hills,  depressions,  rivers, 
streams,  and  forests  had  been  traced  with  the  point 
of  a  hunting-knife.  As  the  sap  settled  into  these 
fine  lines,  they  assumed  a  tint  almost  as  dark  as  ink, 
so  that  every  one  was  distinctly  shown.  The 
astonishing  feature  about  the  map  was  the  artistic 
skill  with  which  it  was  drawn.     The  lines  displayed 


266       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  W A  NOES. 

a  delicacy  and  accuracy  that  could  not  be  improved. 
In  some  places  there  were  creditable  attempts  at 
shading.  It  was  the  avowal  of  every  engineer  con- 
nected with  Proctor's  army  that  none  of  them  could 
surpass  the  drawing,  while  some  of  the  best  declared 
they  could  not  equal  it ;  they  certainly  could  not  do 
so  with  the  same  material.  This  map  was  the  work 
of  Tecumseh,  and,  aside  from  the  singular  skill 
shown  was  the  fact  that  it  was  correct  to  the  minut- 
est particular. 

"I  should  be  glad  to  make  a  stand  here,"  re- 
marked Proctor,  after  the  discussion  had  lasted 
some  time,  "  but  I  think  we  can  secure  a  stronger 
position  at  Sandwich.  It  is  not  far  to  that  point, 
and  we  can  reach  it  soon  enough  in  advance  of  the 
enemy  to  make  our  position  so  strong  that  he  is 
certain  of  defeat." 

Having  invited  the  views  of  his  brother-officers. 
Proctor  found  that  they  agreed  with  his  own.  Tak- 
ing into  consideration  all  the  circumstances,  it  is 
probable  that  his  decision  to  retreat  was  the  ight 
one.  ^ 

The  British  commander  would  have  felt  more  at 
ease  could  he  have  received  the  willing  assent  of 
Tecumseh  to  this  movement.  The  chief  was  seated 
on  the  ground,  his  arms  crossed,  and  silent.  He 
listened  to  all  that  was  said,  for  he  spoke  English  as 
readily  as  those  around  him.     When  Proctor  or  any 


THE    TURNING  OF   THE    TIDE.  26/ 

of  his  officers  were  speaking,  the  black  eyes  of  the 
chieftain  remained  steadily  fixed  upon  his  counte- 
nance until  he  was  through,  when  he  turned  to  the 
next  who  expressed  his  views,  and  that  person  re- 
ceived the  same  undivided  attention. 

Some  of  those  who  knew  the  temper  of  the 
remarkable  man  were  uneasy.  Tecumseh  was  fear- 
less, and  few  of  his  hearers  would  have  been  sur- 
prised by  a  tempestuous  outburst  on  his  part  that 
would  sweep  them  off  their  feet.  His  attractive 
countenance  was  darkened  by  an  expression  of 
scorn,  and  it  is  possible  that  more  than  once  he  was 
on  the  eve  of  denouncing  the  cowardice  of  his  asso- 
ciates, but,  if  such  were  the  fact,  he  was  able  to 
master  his  emotions. 

It  was  known  to  all  that  the  discontent  among 
the  Indian  allies  had  deepened  from  the  time  of  the 
failure  of  the  attack  upon  Fort  Meigs.  It  has  been 
shown  that  a  large  number  withdrew  and  went  to 
their  homes.  Others  refused  to  cross  into  Canada, 
so  that  the  force  which  remained  with  the  British 
army  was  less  than  one  half  of  that  which  had  flocked 
to  the  banner  of  Tecumseh  at  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war.  ' 

None  knew  better  than  the  Shawanoe  that  a  re- 
treat to  Sandwich  meant  the  defection  of  more  of  his 
warriors,  though  he  was  hopeful  that  if  a  fight  was 
made  at  that  point,  he  could  hold  them  to  their 


268        TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   OHA  WANOES. 

work.  The  fact  is  not  generally  known  that  two 
directly  opposite  causes  bound  Tecumseh  to  Proctor 
to  the  last.  His  faith  in  the  British  leader  at  the 
beginning  was  unlimited.  He  was  eager  to  help 
him  strike  a  blow  against  the  Americans  because 
they  had  robbed  his  people  of  their  lands,  and  was 
impatient  for  the  opportunity  to  present  itself. 

It  was  hard  for  him  to  keep  his  warriors  to  their 
work,  and  when  they  began  leaving  after  one  or  two 
defeats,  he  checked  the  panic  by  his  persuasive 
powers,  as  well  as  by  his  threats.  It  was  not  long, 
however,  before  Tecumseh  saw  the  wisdom  of  those 
who  had  deserted,  and  by  and  by  he  let  it  be  known 
that  he  intended  to  follow  their  example. 

It  was  then  the  unexpected  truth  appeared  that  a 
goodly  number  of  Indian  allies  had  resolved  to  stick 
by  Proctor  to  the  end.  It  would  be  hard  to  explain 
why  they  formed  this  resolution,  but  unquestion- 
ably it  existed.  Perhaps  the  British  leader  and  his 
officers  were  abh  to  deceive  the  red  men  by  promises 
which  they  knew  could  never  be  fulfilled,  or  it  may 
be  that  their  faith  in  him  had  never  been  shaken. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  Tecumseh,  when  his  disgust 
prompted  him  to  turn  homeward,  heard  himself 
reproached  by  his  own  countrymen  for  his  course. 

"  You  led  us  into  this  war,"  they  said,  "  and  now 
when  we  are  in  it,  you  are  going  to  abandon  your 
children.     Wo  do  not  say  you  are  afraid,  for  no  one 


THE    TURNING  OF   THE    TIDE.  269 

has  ever  said  that  of  the  great  war  chief,  but  you  do 
wrong  to  leave  your  children  behind." 

"  I  will  take  you  with  me,"  replied  Tecumseh; 
"  many  of  our  warriors  have  fled,  and  why  should 
we  remain  ?  " 

"  Tecumseh  asks  the  question,  but  he  brought  us 
here." 

"  I  thought,  like  you,  that  the  Father  who  was  to 
lead  us  in  battle  was  a  brave  man,  and  would  defeat 
the  Americans,  but  he  is  a  coward ;  he  is  afraid  of 
the  Americans ;  when  they  show  themselves,  he  runs 
like  a  frightened  fawn ;  the  Americans  are  coming, 
and  soon  will  be  here ;  this  is  a  good  place  to  fight, 
but  the  Father  says  he  can  find  a  better  place  farther 
away ;  when  he  runs  to  that,  he  will  say  he  knows 
of  a  better  place,  and  he  will  fly  to  that ;  he  is  Hke 
a  rabbit  which  sees  the  dog  on  his  track." 

"  But  after  a  time  he  will  stop  running  from  the 
Americans." 

The  response  which  Tecumseh  made  to  this  re- 
mark which  was  uttered  by  a  chief  much  older  than 
himself  and  for  whom  he  felt  a  strong  friendship 
was  probably  as  near  to  humor  as  he  ever  went. 
Turning  toward  the  chief,  he  said : 

"  Far  to  the  eastward  is  a  great  sea ;  the  pale  faces 
came  from  the  world  on  the  other  side  of  that  sea; 
there  is  much  snow  and  many  frozen  rivers  to  be 
crossed  before  the  great  sea  is  reached ;  our  Father 


2/0       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  IV^.^VOES. 

and  his  men  v^ill  retreat  till  they  stand  on  the  shore 
of  th^t  sea;  then,  when  they  see  the  Americans 
coming,  they  will  all  leap  into  the  waters  and  drown 
themselves.      7/i^«  we  shall  be  done  retreating. " 

It  cannot  be  supposed  that  General  Proctor  and 
his  officers  would  have  been  flattered  had  they  heard 
this  opinion  of  their  generalship  and  bravery ;  but, 
after  all,  it  was  no  rougher  than  many  things  they 
had  listened  to  from  Tecumseh.  Great  as  was  his 
power  over  his  warriors,  he  did  not  shake  their  reso- 
lution to  remain  with  Proctor  until  at  least  one 
more  battle  was  fought.  It  is  probable  that  Tecum- 
seh did  not  try  very  persistently  to  persuade  them 
to  leave,  for  he  must  have  felt  that  it  was  hardly 
honorable  to  do  so.  He  spoke  only  for  himself  and 
a  few  of  his  close  friends,  among  whom  was  his  son, 
a  stripling,  who  showed  as  much  personal  gallantry 
as  himself,  though  far  the  inferior  in  ability. 

The  Indians  now  made  an  appeal  which  Tecumseh 
was  never  able  to  resist.  They  declared  that  having 
made  up  their  minds  to  fight  with  the  Father,  they 
could  not  do  so  with  hope  of  victory  unless  the  war 
chief  led  them  ;  they  felt  that,  having  brought  them 
thus  far,  honor  commanded  him  to  remain  and  share 
their  fate,  at  least  to  the  extent  of  one  more  battle. 

**  I  yield,"  said  the  stern  chieftain,  touched  by 
this  proof  of  devotion;  "  I  shall  stay  with  you  and 
share  your  fate;    I  shall  fight  as  hard  as   I  know 


..j::_ 


THE    TURNING  OF   THE    TIDE.  27 1 

how,  but,  with  our  Father  at  the   head,  we   shall 
fail." 

Proctor  knew  of  this  conference  between  Tecum- 
seh  and  the  Indian  leaders,  and  anxiously  awaited  a 
report  of  the  result,  the  Shawanoe  having  promised 
to  come  to  him  as  soon  as  a  decision  was  reached. 

The  British  commander's  uneasiness  was  not  be- 
cause he  placed  an  unusually  high  estimation  upon 
the  aid  of  the  red  men.  In  truth,  the  American  In- 
dian is  a  poor  soldier.  He  is  not  amenable  to  dis- 
cipline, and  does  not  fight  well  in  the  open;  he 
needs  the  screen  of  trees  and  rocks,  as  at  Braddock's 
massacre,  or  he  must  be  certain  that  his  numbers 
are  overwhelming,  or  that  he  can  surprise  his 
enemy.  At  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  Arkansas, 
during  our  civil  war,  Albert  Pike's  Indians  scalped 
their  friends  with  the  same  impartiality  as  their  foes. 

Proctor  had  already  had  enough  experience  with 
red  men  as  allies  as  to  form  a  poor  estimate  of  their 
value,  but  he  saw  that  a  battle  could  not  be  deferred 
much  longer.  He  had  his  own  superior  ofiflcers  and 
his  government  to  which  he  was  responsible,  and 
with  a  force  fully  the  equal  of  the  enemy,  and  with 
the  advantages  of  position  the  same,  he  would  find 
it  hard  to  justify  his  continual  falling  back  before  the 
advance  of  the  Americans,  of  whose  military  ability 
he  had  expressed  more  than  one  unfavorable  opinion. 

A  comparison  of  the  two  opposing  armies  showed 


272       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  IVANOES. 

them  to  be  nearly  equal  in  numbers,  so  that  a  few 
reinforcements  to  either  side  must  be  decisive. 
Hence  the  anxiety  of  the  British  leader  to  hold  the 
Indians  with  him  until  after  the  battle.  Compara- 
tively inefficient  as  the  red  men  might  be,  he  looked 
upon  them  as  holding  the  balance  of  power. 
Nothing  was  more  certain  than  that  General  Harri- 
son had  made  the  most  complete  preparations  pos- 
sible for  his  invasion  of  Canada.  Proctor  did  not 
know  his  precise  strength,  bat  his  scouts  and  spies 
had  given  him  tolerably  accurate  iiformation,  and 
he  was  afraid  of  the  American  leader. 

But  it  was  Tecumseh  himself  whom  Proctor  was 
most  desirous  of  retaining.  This  chieftain  has  been 
often  and  truly  referred  to  as  the  greatest  American 
Indian  that  ever  lived,  and  Proctor  had  received 
more  valuable  help  from  him  personally  than  he  was 
willing  to  admit,  even  to  his  friends. 

The  Shawanoe  showed  genuine  generalship  in 
battle ;  he  was  quick  to  take  advantage  of  the  mis- 
takes of  an  enemy,  and  in  arranging  the  British 
forces  for  a  struggle,  he  had  made  suggestions  to 
Proctor  that  were  tested  and  proven  to  be  the  only 
ones  that  could  bring  success  or  avert  disaster. 

Had  the  British  leader  been  compelled  to  choose 
between  letting  all  of  the  Indian  allies  go  and  parting 
with  their  leader,  he  would  have  said :  "  Take  every 
redskin  in  camp,  provided  you  leave  Tecumseh." 


THE    TURNING  OF   THE    TIDE.  273 

True  to  his  promise,  the  chieftain  went  from  his 
conferrnce  with  his  friends  to  Proctor,  who  met  him 
alone.  He  looked  keenly  into  the  dusky  face, 
striving  to  read  the  verdict  there,  but  no  man  could 
do  that  when  Tecumseh  willed  he  should  not. 

"  Tecumseh  will  stay  with  his  warriors." 

"  And  they  will  stay  with  me,"  exclaimed  Proc- 
tor, with  almost  boyish  delight.  ,   , 

"  They  believe  you  intend  to  fight ;  I  don't,"  was 
the  blunt  explanation  of  the  chieftain;  "  I  have 
promised  to  wait  until  they  see  what  fools  they 
are."  ■',   •'..-■■.   .-,-;-;,. 

No  one  of  his  own  officers  would  have  dared  to 
address  General  Proctor  in  this  manner,  but  he  re- 
pressed his  resentment. 

"  You  do  me  a  great  injustice,  Tecumseh;  the 
Americans  have  more  men  than  I,  and  they  have 
better  guns,  and  more  big  guns  that  kill  so  many 
people." 

The  Shawanoe  looked  contemptuously  at  the 
officer,  as  if  this  remark  was  not  worth  a  reply.  In 
truth,  he  gave  it  no  heed. 

"  When  will  you  fight  ? " 

"  Very  soon;  now,  Tecumseh,  you  have  proven 
yourself  to  be  a  great  general,  the  equal  of  any  that 
we  have  among  us;  you  know  that  a  wise  leader 
always  searches  for  the  strongest  position  before 
giving  battle  to  his  enemy." 

x8 


274       TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  IVANOES. 

"  And  when  he  finds  it,  he  fights,  which  you  do 
not;  it  kills  the  hearts  in  the  soldiers,  when  they 
hear  themselves  ordered  all  the  time  to  run  is  soon 
as  their  enemies  are  seen.  I  have  taught  my  war- 
riors to  run  toward  the  enemy,  but  not  from  him." 
"  And  you  have  taught  them  well;  had  our  ships 
beaten  the  American  ships  on  the  lake,  we  should 
have  been  in  Ohio " 

"  I  know  that,"  impatiently  interrupted  the  chief- 
tain, who  did  understand  the  situation  as  clearly  as 
his  general;  "  it  was  right  that  we  should  not  go 
there  when  we  had  no  big  canoes  on  the  lake ;  but 
the  Americans  did  not  wait  for  you  to  come ;  if  you 
had  gone,  they  would  have  met  you  on  the  shore-; 
of  the  lake ;  instead  of  that,  they  have  come  here, 
and  of  what  use  is  your  army  if  it  flees  before  them 
and  leaves  them  to  do  as  they  please  with  your 
farms,  your  dwellings,  and  your  people  ?  " 

"  I  have  promised  you  that  we  shall  fight  the 
Americans,"  said  Proctor,  with  more  earnestness 
than  he  had  yet  shown;  "  and  I  shall  keep  that 
promise." 

"  I  do  not  believe  you."       * 

"  Wait  and  see." 

"  I  shall  wait — but  only  for  a  little  while,"  was 
the  significant  response  of  Tecumseh  as  he  walked 
away. 


CHAPTER   XX. 

^r  BETWEEN   THE   LINES. 

"  IT  is  n't  safe  for  you  to  go  any  farther ;  it  was  n't 
i     exactly  safe  for  you  to  come  this  far,  but  we  '11 
chance  it;  if  you  choose,  you  can  wait  here  till  I 
come  back." 

Thus  spoke  Simon  Kenton  to  Ben  Mayberry  and 
George  Hardin  on  a  clear,  sunshiny  afternoon  in 
October.  The  three  had  left  the  American  lines, 
and  had  carefully  made  their  way  to  a  point  midway 
between  them  and  the  ground  held  by  General 
Proctor,  whose  army  was  separated  from  that  of 
General  Harrison  by  a  space  of  between  two  and 
three  miles. 

When  the  enemy  reached  Sandwich,  where  it  was 
the  first  intention  of  the  British  commander  to  make 
a  stand  against  the  Americans,  he  held  a  hurried 
consultation  with  his  officers  to  consider  the  ques- 
tion of  remaining  and  giving  battle  or  of  falling 
farther  back  to  a  place  near  the  Moravian  towns. 
At  this  council  Tecumseh  decided  the  matter  by 
promptly  declaring  that  the  latter  position  was  the 
better  one.     He  had  made  a  hurried  visit  to  it  with 

275 


276     TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

three  of  his  chiefs,  who  agreed  with  him  that  at 
the  Moravian  towns  they  could  secure  a  mi/ch 
stronger  position. 

"  I  have  picked  the  battle  ground,"  he  said  sig- 
nificantly; "  not  a  single  warrior  will  retreat  any 
farther;  there  the  stand  shall  be  made  and  the 
battle  fought. " 

This  decision  was  pleasing  to  Proctor,  though  he 
would  have  been  better  suited  had  the  Shawanoe 
agreed  that  it  was  wiser  to  continue  the  retreat  in- 
definitely, in  the  hope  that  General  Harrison  would 
become  weary  of  pursuit  and  return  to  American 
soil.  But  the  decision  was  quickly  reached,  and 
Tecum^eh  and  his  chiefs  had  no  trouble  in  making 
everything  satisfactory  to  their  warriors,  whose  con- 
fidence in  the  great  Shawanoe  remained  undimin- 
ished to  the  end. 

The  American  scouts  had  now  much  less  work 
than  before  this  invasion  of  Canada.  The  pursuit 
was  so  vigorous  that  the  opposing  forces  were  almost 
constantly  in  sight  of  each  other.  As  a  rule,  the 
scouts  remained  with  the  soldiers,  though,  when  a 
halt  was  made,  they  pressed  their  dangerous  work. 

It  was  during  a  halt  of  the  armies  that  Kenton, 
accompanied  by  the  two  young  scouts,  ventured 
forward  to  a  point  nearly  midway  between  them. 
They  were  now,  as  will  be  noted,  in  the  enemy's 
country — a  section  partially  settled  by  Indians  and 


BETWEEN   THE  LINES.  Z'J'J 

Canadians.  Most  of  the  people  who  found  them- 
selves in  the  path  of  the  armies  fled  from  their 
homes,  terrified  by  the  stories  of  the  barbarities  of 
the  invaders.  They  drove  off  their  live  stock,  thank- 
ful to  escape  from  the  ruthless  foe  with  their  lives. 
Tecumseh  prevented  his  warriors  from  destroying 
any  of  the  property,  and  the  British  army  was 
equally  considerate,  inasmuch  as  they  were  in  a 
friendly  country. 

But  before  the  invasion  was  over,  the  settlers 
made  the  surprising  discovery  that  the  Americans 
did  not  make  war  like  the  British.  They  too  re- 
spected the  property  of  non-combatants.  Guards 
were  stationed  at  the  houses  along  the  line  of  march 
until  all  danger  was  past,  and  when  the  owners  re- 
turned, expecting  to  find  only  the  ashes  of  their 
homes,  they  were  greeted  by  sight  of  the  buildings 
that  had  not  suffered  the  slightest  injury. 

Having  passed  beyond  the  American  lines,  Ken- 
ton and  his  two  young  friends  halted  at  a  house  by 
the  wayside  that  had  been  deserted  by  its  occupants, 
who  had  not  left  so  much  as  a  domestic  fowl  be- 
hind. The  building  was  a  low,  log  structure,  simi- 
lar to  many  found  on  the  border,  consisting  of  two 
stories,  and  supplied  with  windows  and  all  the  con- 
veniences needed  by  a  small  family  of  pioneers.  It 
was  apparent  that  the  occupants  were  white  persons, 
since  the  Indians  favored  more  primitive  structures, 


278     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

mostly  tepees  or  tents,  though  many  used  log  build- 
ings like  the  white  people. 

The  house  stood  close  to  the  highway,  and  the 
front  door  was  open.  Before  entering,  Kenton 
made  a  careful  reconnoissance  to  satisfy  himself  that 
none  of  their  enemies  was  within.  Convinced  that 
it  was  empty,  he  led  the  way,  and  the  youths  fol- 
lowed him  through  the  open  door. 

A  glance  around  told  of  the  haste  with  which  the 
family  had  fled.  Embers  were  still  glowing  in  the 
ashes  on  the  hearth,  the  few  dishes  that  had  not 
been  removed  from  the  small  table  in  the  middle  of 
the  room  and  a  number  of  garments  hung  on  pegs 
in  the  wooden  walls. 

Like  most  of  the  settlers'  homes,  an  inclined  lad- 
der at  the  rear  led  to  the  upper  story.  Of  the  three 
chairs  on  the  lower  floor,  two  were  overturned, 
while  the  third  stood  upright  in  the  middle  of  the 
room,  as  if  mounting  guard  over  the  property.  The 
people  who  had  erected  the  building  had  little  fear 
of  any  enemy  at  the  time,  and  had  therefore  framed 
the  windows  on  a  broader  pattern  than  those  that 
were  meant  to  serve  as  loopholes  aj  well  as  to  fur- 
nish light.  Oiled  paper  took  the  place  of  panes, 
and  an  ordinary-sized  man  v.ould  have  had  no 
trouble  in  crawling  out  or  into  the  building  through 
the  windows.  As  a  consequence  the  house  was  not 
well  calculated  for  defence,  though  the  walls  were 


BETWEEN   THE  LINES.  279 

nearly  cannon-proof,  the  clay  between  the  chinks 
being  hardened  almost  to  the  consistency  of  stone. 

Having  explored  the  interior,  Kenton  uttered  the 
words  with  which  this  chapter  opens,  and  lingered 
a  few  minutes  before  bidding  his  young  friends 
good-by. 

"  Don't  forget  one  thing,"  he  said,  impressively; 
"  you  must  n't  try  to  follow  me." 

"  We  had  no  thought  of  doing  that,"  replied 
George  Hardin. 

"  I  'm  on  my  way  to  meet  Tecumseh,"  he  added ; 
"  we  're  to  have  a  talk,  and  he  expects  me." 

The  youths  had  never  referred  to  that  interview 
which  they  witnessed  some  weeks  before  between 
Forts  Meigs  and  Stephenson.  They  were  astonished 
when  the  famous  scout  said :  , 

"  You  have  n't  forgot  that  talk  him  and  me  had, 
when  you  was  hid  in  the  woods  alongside  the  trail 
down  in  Ohio." 

"  Who  told  you  of  that  ?  "  asked  Hardin. 
The  scout  threw  back  his  head  and  laughed  in  his 
silent  fashion. 

"  Do  you  younkers  think  that  Simon  Kenton  is 
the  one  to  walk  right  past  two  chaps  without  know- 
ing it  ?  He  mought  have  done  it  a  good  many 
years  ago  when  he  did  n't  know  any  more  than  you, 
but  not  since  he  was  high  enough  to  look  over  the 
top  of  a  fence." 


28o     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

"  Yes,  we  saw  you,"  caid  Ben,  also  smiling; 
"  but  had  no  idea  you  were  within  miles  of  us  till 
you  went  past.  We  had  no  wish  to  play  the  spy  on 
you  and  Tecumseh." 

"  You  did  n't  tell  him  anything  about  our  being 
there?"  asked  Hardin. 

"  No,  but  he  spoke  to  me  'bout  it  while  I  was 
shaking  hands  with  him ;  he  seen  you  as  soon  as  you 
seen  him."       . 

This  was  astonishing  information,  and  the  won- 
dering boys  looked  in  each  others'  faces  and  then  at 
the  grinning  scout. 

"  We  never  dreamed  of  such  a  thing,"  said  Har- 
din; "  why  did  he  leave  us  alone  ?  " 

"  Why  should  n't  he  ?  He  told  me  he  was  fight- 
ing men,  not  boys,  and  he  did  n't  think  you  younk- 
ers  was  of  'nough  'count  to  bother  his  head  over, 
but  he  obsarved  I  had  better  look  after  you,  or  you 
mought  get  into  trouble. " 

This  was  not  flattering  to  the  self-esteem  of  the 
youths,  but  since  Kenton  himself  had  brought  up 
the  matter,  Ben  Mayberry  pushed  his  inquiry. 

"  We  wondered  why  you  should  meet  Tecumseh." 

"  And  I  'spose  you  wonder  why  I  'm  going  to 
meet  him  agin  ?  " 

"We  do." 

"  Wal,  I  may  give  you  the  partic'lars  when  I  git 
through  with  this,  but  it  ain't  worth  while  now." 


BE  TWEE  A'   THE  LINES.  28 1 

"  I  remember,  Ken  .on,  that  when  General  Smith 
wanted  you  to  go  to  Fort  Stephenson  to  warn  Major 
Croghan  of  the  attack  that  was  about  to  be  made  on 
him,  you  excused  yourself  on  the  plea  of  another 
important  engagement/' 

"  That  is  correct;  I  had  made  the  engagement 
with  Tecumseh  two  weeks  afore." 

"  But  you  met  him  between  Fort  Meigs  and  Fort 
Stephenson,  so  that  you  could  have  gone  on  and 
reached  Major  Croghan  sooner  than  we,  after  you 
had  kept  your  engagement  with  Tecumseh;  why 
did  n't  you  do  it  ?  " 

"  'Cause  there  war  n't  any  airthly  use  of  it ;  Major 

'    Croghan  did  n't  need  any  warning;  he  kept  as  keen 

a  look-out  as  Gin'ral  Smith,  and  could  have  sent 

hhn  news  with  just  as  much  reason  ;  I  '11  warrant  the 

Major  was  mad  when  he  found  what  you  came  for." 

"  So  he  was,"  replied  Hardin,  with  a  vivid  re- 
membrance of  the  words  of  the  young  oflficer  upon 
receiving  their  message. 

"  The  Gin'ral  meant  all  right,  but  he  should  n't 
have  done  it ;  that  's  why  I  turned  about  after  I  was 
through  with  Tecumseh,  so  as  to  give  my  report  to 
Gin'ral  Harrison  as  soon  as  he  got  back  from  Kain- 
tuck." 

"  Did  General  Harrison  know  of  your  meeting 
with  Tecumseh  ?  " 

"  I  reckon;  me  and  him  talked  the  thing  over, 


282     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

and  he  knows  every  word,  that  passed  atween  the 
chief  and  me;  he  knows  all  'bout  this  trip  too." 

"  Well,"  said  Ben,  seeing  that  the  scout  was  not 
disposed  to  tell  more;  "  we  shall  be  interested  in 
the  particulars  when  you  are  ready  to  tell  us,  but, 
if  we  are  in  danger  in  coming  this  far,  you  must  be 
in  greater  danger  when  you  pass  into  the  lines  of 
General  Proctor." 

Without  replying,  Kenton  drew  from  his  pocket 
an  oblong  piece  of  leather.  It  was  two  or  three 
inches  in  length,  with  a  perfectly  round  hole  through 
the  middle,  and  with  one  end  curiously  fringed,  the 
work  being  done  with  an  artistic  taste  that  excited 
the  admiration  of  the  youths,  who  took  it  in  their 
hands  and  curiously  inspected  it. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Hardin,  as  he  handed  it 
back  to  Kenton. 

"  A  pass  from  Tecumseh;  I  reckon  no  Injin  or 
Redcoat  would  dare  to  refuse  that  if  I  showed  it  to 
him." 

"  How  long  have  you  carried  it  ?  " 

The  veteran  scout  smiled  over  the  recollection  of 
some  incident  that  gave  him  pleasure. 

"  Tt  was  just  afore  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe,  vhen 
Tecumseh  was  on  his  way  to  stir  up  the  other  tribes 
that  he  got  into  trouble  ;  it  ain't  worth  while  for 
me  to  explain,  for  some  of  our  people  would  n't  be 
pleased  at  what  I  done;  Gin'ral  Harrison  told  me  it 


BETWEEN   THE  LINES.  283 

was  a  mistake  on  my  part,  'cause  if  it  had  n't  been 
that  way,  Tecumseh  would  have  been  killed,  and 
most  of  this  trouble  would  have  been  saved.  How- 
sumever,  it  was  done,  and  I  can't  say  that  I  was 
ever  sorry.  Tecumseh  give  me  this  pass  after  that, 
and  it  has  sarved  me  powerful  well  more  'n  once. 
I  never  use  it  onless  I  have  to,  fur  I  prefer  having  a 
scrimmage  with  the  varmints  when  I  have  a  show  to 
pull  out," 

Kenton  replaced  the  article  in  his  pocket,  and 
with  a  few  parting  words,  passed  through  the  door 
and  disappeared  from  sight. 

The  house  in  which  Hardin  and  Mayberry  had 
taken  up  their  quarters  for  a  brief  while  stood  in  a 
depression  of  land,  with  cultivated  ground  on  all 
sides,  and  the  highway  winding  in  front.  Kenton 
had  walked  along  this  highway  to  the  slight  eleva- 
tion to  the  left  over  which  he  passed  from  view. 
The  peculiar  position  of  the  cabin  between  the  lines 
made  it  dangerous  for  the  members  of  either  army, 
because  of  which  fact,  when  the  youths  peeped  out 
from  the  front  and  rear,  and  because  too  of  their 
brief  view,  they  failed  to  see  a  living  person  or  ani- 
mal. Yet  to  the  right  lay  General  Harrison's  army, 
while  at  about  the  same  distance  to  the  left  was  that 
of  General  Proctor.  They  were  resting  for  a  short 
time,  though  it  was  likely  that  boLh  would  be  on 
the  move  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours. 


284     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

With  the  retreat  of  the  British  force  and  the  ad- 
vance of  the  American  the  peril  of  the  young  scouts 
must  diminish  and  finally  disappear,  but  during  the 
intervening  interval,  who  should  say  what  might 
happen  ? 

If  the  youths  were  expecting  trouble,  they  were 
not  disappointed.  They  had  explored  the  lower 
story,  and,  finding  nothing  of  interest,  climbed  the 
ladder  in  the  corner  to  the  upper  floor,  first  taking 
the  precaution  to  fasten  the  door  by  means  of  the 
heavy  wooden  bar  stretched  across  the  middle ;  but, 
inasmuch  as  four  broad  windows  remained  un- 
guarded, this  precaution  looked  superfluous. 

There  was  nothing  above  that  interested  them. 
The  two  large  rooms  had  been  used  for  sleeping 
apartments,  and  it  was  another  proof  of  the  haste 
with  which  the  occupants  fled  that  the  bedding  and 
garments  were  left  behind.  The  furniture  was 
scant,  but  an  air  of  neatness  was  observable  every- 
where.      •  ' 

"  We  may  as  well  go  below,"  said  Hardin,  moving 
across  to  where  the  upper  part  of  the  ladder  pro- 
jected above  the  level  of  the  floor;  "  there  is 
nothing  here  worth  looking  at.  I  wonder  whether 
we  shall  have  any  visitors " 

He  was  in  the  act  of  placing  his  foot  on  one  of 
the  rounds,  when  he  drew  it  back  with  a  startled 
glance  into  the  face  of  his  companion.     Both  had 


BETWEEN   THE  LINES.  28$ 

heard  a  slight  noise  below  which  showed  that  some 
person  was  there,  and  as  they  listened  they  detected 
faint,  guarded  footsteps. 

The  youths  had  their  rifles  with  them,  but  did  not 
speak,  and  stood  as  motionless  as  statues  while  they 
listened. 

The  thought  of  both  was  that  the  owner  of  the 
house  had  stealthily  returned.  If  such  was  the 
fact,  nothing  was  to  be  feared,  since  it  would  be 
easy  to  make  a  satisfactory  explanation  to  him,  but 
it  would  have  been  imprudent  to  act  upon  the  sup- 
position until  more  definite  knowledge  was  secured. 

For  several  minutes  the  faint  footfalls  were  audi- 
ble. The  visitor  was  evidently  moving  about  the 
room.  He  must  have  known  of  the  presence  of 
strangers  over  his  head,  for  Ben  and  George  had 
talked  freely  and  were  moving  around  when  they 
learned  that  some  one  had  entered  the  room  below. 

Suddenly  the  noise  ceased.  The  man  was  stand- 
ing still  or  had  gone.  Hardin  stepped  softly  to  one 
of  the  front  ;vindows  and  peeped  out,  but  could  see 
no  one.  Ber  kept  his  place  by  the  ladder,  believing 
that  the  stranger  would  come  up  or  appear  at  the 
foot,  but  he  did  neither. 

"  Helloa,  down  there!  "  called  Ben,  in  a  guarded 
voice,  which,  however,  could  have  been  heard  all 
througii  the  house ;  "  we  are  friends ;  who  are  you  ? ' ' 

There  was  no  response,  and,  after  waiting  a  few 


286     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

minutes,  the  young  Kentuckian  stooped  down  and 
thrust  his  head  far  enough  into  the  opening  to  see 
the  whole  interior.     No  one  was  in  sight. 

"  He  has  left,"  said  Ben,  stepping  upon  the  rungs 
and  hastily  descending,  closely  followed  by  his  com- 
panion. 

That  which  they  saw  told  the  story.  One  of  the 
raised  windows  showed  that  the  visitor  had  entered 
through  that,  while  the  open  door  revealed  his 
means  of  exit,  though  there  was  little  to  choose  be- 
tween the  two.  ' 

"  He  can't  be  far  off,"  said  Hardin,  who  passed 
hurriedly  through  the  door  to  make  an  observation 
of  their  surroundings,  satisfied  that  he  had  looked 
through  the  wrong  upper  window  a  short  time 
before. 

The  first  glance  in  the  direction  of  the  elevation 
over  which  Simon  Kenton  had  disappeared  told 
more  than  he  wished  to  know.  Standing  out  in  full 
view  were  two  Indians,  one  of  whom  instantly  raised 
his  rifle  and  fired  full  at  the  youth,  who  never 
dodged  more  quickly  into  a  house  than  he  did  upon 
receiving  the  startling  salute. 

He  heard  the  zip  of  the  bullet  as  it  wh'/zed  past 
his  head  and  buried  itself  in  the  solid  door,  the  miss 
being  as  narrow  as  can  be  imagined. 

The  heavy  bar  was  quickly  replaced,  and  then  the 
two  felt  safe  against  any  rush  by  their  enemies. 


BETWEEN    THE  LINES.  287 

"  I  think  that  shot  is  entitled  to  a  return,"  ex- 
claimed the  angered  Hardin,  as  he  stroped  to  the 
side  of  the  open  window  with  the  intention  of  firing 
through  it.  The  spot  where  he  Had  seen  the  red 
warriors  was  in  exact  range,  and  he  was  hopeful  of 
making  a  more  successful  shot  than  that  of  his 
enemy. 

But  lo !  neither  of  them  was  in  sight.  After  their 
demonstration,  they  had  made  a  lightning-like  shift 
of  position  which  took  them  wholly  out  of  the  field 
of  vision,  and  whither  they  had  vanished  was  the 
interesting  question. 

George  ran  across  the  lower  floor  and  peeped  out 
of  one  of  the  rear  windows,  but  without  detecting 
them.  Had  the  Indians  chosen  to  run  toward  either 
end  of  the  house  they  would  have  been  invisible, 
since  there  were  no  windows  there.  But  the  youths 
believed  they  had  gone  over  the  top  of  the  hill, 
where  the  earth  interposed  to  shut  them  from  sight, 
and  the  succeeding  few  minutes  showed  this  suppo- 
sition to  be  right. 

"  There  they  are!  "  whispered  Ben,  from  the  side 
of  the  front  window ;  ' '  they  are  peeping  over  the 
ridge  of  ground." 

He  had  caught  sight  of  a  stained  eagle's  feather, 
some  black  hair,  a  low  forehead,  and  two  eyes  glow- 
ing like  baleful  orbs  ovei'  the  horizon.  Several  feet 
to   the   left,   a   similar   apparition   was  observable. 


288     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  IVANOES. 

Evidently  the  Indians  were  on  the  watch  for  another 
chance  at  the  young  men  in  the  cabin. 

"  I  think  I  can  fetch  that  one  on  the  right," 
whispered  the  young  Kentuckian,  silently  sinking 
upon  one  knee,  so  as  to  rest  the  muzzle  of  his  heavy 
weapon  on  the  sill. 

"  And  I  '11  try  the  one  on  the  left,"  said  Hardin, 
taking  a  similar  posture  at  the  other  window;  "  we 
must  make  sure,  for  they  won't  give  us  another 
chance  if  we  miss — confound  it!  " 

The  eye  of  the  young  scout  was  running  along  the 
gun-barrel,  when  the  upper  part  of  the  head  to 
which  he  was  giving  attention  dropped  from  sight. 
It  was  a  bitter  disappointment,  but  there  was  no 
help  for  it. 

"  Shall  I  wait  a  minute  or  two  for  him  to  show 
himself  again  ?  "  asked  Ben,  who  had  drawn  a  bead 
on  his  man. 

"  No,  or  you  will  lose  your  chance."  v   ^' 

The  young  Kentuckian  had  taken  dead  aim,  and 
pausing  only  long  enough  to  make  sure  that  the 
sight  had  not  varied  in  the  slight  interval,  he  pulled 
the  trigger.  The  bullet  sped  unerringly,  and  when 
the  warrior  disappeared  from  sight,  it  was  for  all 
time. 

"  I  hope  he  is  the  one  who  shot  at  me,"  was  the 
comment  of  Hardin,  who  retained  his  place  by  the 
window,  while  Ben,  following  the  rule  that  he  had 


BETWEEN   THE  LINES.  289 

learned  in  his  earliest  boyhood,  rose  to  his  feet  and 
began  reloading  his  rifle,  without  pausing  to  assure 
himself  of  the  result  of  this  shot.  Indeed,  he  had 
received  the  assurance  in  the  rasping  screech  of  the 
Indian  as  he  vanished. 

The  puzzle  was  as  to  what  had  become  of  his 
companion,  and  in  what  manner  he  was  busying 
himself.  Hardin's  eyes  roamed  along  the  crest  of 
the  slight  elevation  without  catching  a  glimpse  of 
him,  and  the  survey  from  one  of  the  rear  windows 
failed  to  reveal  the  miscreant,  who,  it  was  not  to  be 
supposed  had  taken  his  departure,  or,  if  he  had 
done  so,  was  sure  of  a  speedy  return  with  reinforce- 
ments. 

The  boys  were  still  looking  cautiously  forth  and 
listening,  when  a  peculiar  whoop,  quickly  repeated 
several  times  from  beyond  the  crest  of  the  hill  weis 
heard. 

"  It  's  a  signal  to  his  friends,"  was  the  comment 
of  Ben  Mayberry;  "  we  shall  soon  have  them  all 
around  us." 

"  1  hope  some  of  our  friends  will  hear  the  firing, 
and  try  to  find  out  what  it  means." 

"  What  about  Kenton  r" 

"  There  's  no  saying  how  far  ofT  he  is;  if  he  hears 

the  reports  of  the  guns,  he  may  not  suspect  their 

meaning;  but  I  think  that  if  we  can  hold  out  for  an 

hour  or  two,  there  will  be  a  chance  for  us." 
19 


CHAPTER   XXI. 
->  "  good-bye!  " 

SIMON  KENTON  had  not  far  to  go  before 
receiving  proof  that  he  was  in  the  enemy's 
country.  He  had  passed  a  stretch  of  timber,  still 
keeping  to  the  highway,  when  he  was  challenged 
by  a  picket,  who  looked  at  him  curiously,  as  if  he 
suspected  his  identity,  and  wondered  at  his  presum- 
ing to  venture  thus  far  without  the  protection  of  a 
flag  of  truce. 

The  scout  produced  the  leathern  pass  described, 
and  handed  it  to  the  soldier,  who  surveyed  it  criti- 
cally ;  but  he  must  have  received  instructions  con- 
cerning it,  for  with  a  smile  he  handed  it  back  to  the 
American. 

"  I  '11  be  hanged!  "  was  his  exclamation;  "  go 
on." 

A  short  distance  beyond  the  wood  the  thing  was 
repeated.  Then  Kenton  turned  from  the  road, 
entered  a  grove  of  timber,  into  which  he  penetrated 
until  he  reached  a  small  open  space,  where,  as 
before,  the  Shawanoe  leader  was  awaiting  him. 
Tecumseh  was  seated   on   a  fallen  tree,   but   rose 

290 


%w^^:^'^'**^' 


KENTON  yfNP   TEtUMSEH, 


Page  ago. 


"GOOD-BYE!"  29 1 

when  he  heard  the  approaching  footsteps,  and  shook 
hands  with  his  old  friend. 

The  faces  of  both  were  grave,  for  each  felt  the 
solemnity  of  the  occasion.  There  was  no  attempt 
at  pleasantry  by  Kenton  when  both  sat  down,  while 
the  Shawanoe  was  in  an  unusually  serious  mood 
even  for  him. 

"  Did  you  expect  me  ? "  asked  the  scout. 
"  My   brother  speaks  with  a  single  tongue;  he 
sent  me  word  that  he  would  meet  me  in  this  hollow 
by  the  fallen  tree." 

"  Yes,  I  gin' rally  keep  my  promises,  but  ain't  al- 
ways able  to;  wal,  Tccumseh,  it  has  turned  out  just 
as  I  told  you." 

The  chief  nodded  his  head  without  speaking. 
He  understood  the  reference. 

"  Proctor  has  done  nothing  but  retreat  since 
Gin'ral  Harrison  had  a  chance  to  git  at  him;  he  has 
be  on  druv  out  of  our  country,  and  we  have  come 
into  his,  and  he  is  still  running  before  us," 

"  General  Proctor  is  a  squaw— he  is  a  child— he  is 
not  a  soldier!"  said  Tecumseh,  with  bitterness; 
"  he  is  not  fit  to  command  men!  " 

"  You  found  that  out  before  you  went  with  him 
into  Canada." 

"  But  he  will  soon  fight,"  said  the  chieftain, 
speaking  as  freely  to  his  visitor  as  if  he  were  one  of 
the  British  officers. 


292     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

"  That  *s  what  we  have  been  trying  to  make  him 
do,  but  he  is  sure  to  be  whipped  out  of  his  boots; 
what,  then,  will  become  of  Tecumseh  ? " 

"  He  will  be  dead,"  was  the  startling  reply;  "  I 
shall  fall  in  the  next  battle,  and  I  am  glad,  for  I 
have  no  wish  to  live." 

Kenton  never  felt  deeper  sympathy  for  a  man 
than  he  did  for  the  remarkable  Indian  sitting  beside 
him. 

"  Do  you  not  see,  Tecumseh,  the  mistake  you 
have  made  ?  When  I  talked  wich  you  some  w^eks 
ago  I  spoke  for  Gin'ral  Harrison,  and  I  speak  for 
him  now ;  he  asks  me  to  urge  you,  as  I  urged  you 
then,  to  withdraw  all  your  warriors  from  Proctor, 
and  return  to  your  homes  in  the  Territory." 

"General  Harrison  is  a  brave  soldier,  and  speaks 
with  a  single  tongue ;  will  he  give  us  back  the  lands 
the  white  men  stole  from  us?"  asked  the  chief, 
turning  with  an  eager  expression  upon  his  visitor. 

"  Tecumseh,  there  ain't  any  white  people  that 
have  got  more  brains  than  you,  and  powerful  few 
that  have  got  as  much;  the  Gin'ral  can't  do  as  you 
want  him  to  do ;  the  whi:e  people,  when  compared 
with  yours,  are  Jke  the  leaves  on  the  trees;  they 
won't  let  him  give  back  your  lands,  and  you  know 
it ;  you  do  not  act  like  a  wise  man  when  you  talk 
tother  way;  what  's  the  difference  ?  There  's  a 
hundred  times  more  land  than  you  need  for  your 


"  GOOD-B  YE  !  "  293 

hunting-grounds     in     the    Northwest     Territory  ; 

there  's  plenty  of  game  and  fish  there,  and  you  can 

enjoy  yourselves  as  much  in  one  place  as  in  tother." 

"  But  the  white  men  will  increase  and  drive  us 

from  that  land  " 

"  You  '11  have  still  more  hunting-grounds  behind 

you. 

"  But  bevond  that  rolls  the  great  sea,  and  the  red 
men  by  and  by  will  find  themselves  on  the  shores  of 
that  sea;  what,  then,  will  become  of  them  ?  " 

"  Now,  see  here,  my  old  friend,"  plead  Kenton, 
laying  his  hand  on  the  knee  of  the  chieftain,  who 
did  not  repel  the  familiarity,  which  he  would  have 
permitted  from  no  one  else;  "  what  's  the  use  of 
figgering  ahead  three  or  four  thousand  years  ? 
It  '11  take  that  long  for  your  people  to  be  druv  to 
the  Pacific,  and  there  's  no  use  of  your  trying  to 
fight  the  battles  of  them  that  won't  be  here  till  you 
and  me  have  been  in  our  graves  and  forgot  for 
longer  than  any  one  can  remember." 

"  But  all  red  men  are  brothers,  and  we  must  fight 
for  those  that  are  to  come  after  us;  the  Great  Spirit 
wishes  us  to  do  that." 

"  That  may  be,  but  what  's  the  use  of  fighting  a 
fight  that  there  ain't  no  use  in  fighting  ?  "  was  the 
forceful  question  of  the  scout,  who  was  never  more 
persuasive.  "  The  Americans  are  living  upon  the 
lands  that  once  was  yours,  and  there  ain't  any  way 


294     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

of  driving  'em  off;  there  's  plenty  left  for  you  folks 
—so  why  not  take  it,  and  cry  quits  ?  " 

This  may  have  sounded  logical,  but  it  did  not 
convince  Tecumseh.  In  truth.  General  Harrison, 
although  hopeful  that  the  former  visit  of  Kenton 
would  result  in  drawing  the  Shawanoe  leader  away 
from  Proctor  (for  he  knew  of  the  disaffection  among 
his  warriors),  believed  that  the  present  visit  was  use- 
less. But  Kenton  was  sanguine. 
Suddenly  the  chief  said : 

"  There  will  be  a  great  battle  before  the  sun  goes 
down  more  than  once." 

"  Do  you  believe  Proctor  will  stand  his  ground  ? " 

"  He  must!  "  said  Tecumseh;  "  if  he  does  n't. 

every  Indian  warrior  will  leave  him ;  if  he  does  not 

stop  and  fight  at  the  Moravian  towns,  I  will  drive 

my  tomahawk  into  his  brain!  " 

Kenton  was  startled  by  this  fierce  threat,  but  a 
glance  at  the  dusky  countenance  beside  him  left  no 
doubt  of  the  chieftain's  terrible  earnestness. 

' '  What  do  you  think,  Shawanoe,  will  be  the  result 
of  the  fight?" 

"  Proctor  will  be  beaten." 

"  And  if  he  is  beat,  will  you  and  your  warriors 
leave  him  ? "  eagerly  asked  Kenton. 

"  My  warriors  who  survive  will  leave  him,  but 
what  difference  does  it  make  as  to  me  f  " 

"  You  are  more  important  than  all  your  warriors, 


^'GOOD-BYE!"  295 

or  all  the  Wyandots,  and  Pottawatomies,  and  Dela- 
wares,  and  the  whole  lot  of  'em." 

"  This  will  be  the  last  fight  of  Tecumseh;  when 
the  battle  is  ended  and  Proctor  is  again  running 
before  the  Americans,  Tecumseh  will  be  no  more." 
These  words  were  uttered  with  an  impressiveness 
that  chilled  the  heart  of  Kenton,  who  could  not 
shake  off  the  oppressiveness  they  produced. 

"  Wal,  I  've  been  in  a  good  many  scrimmages  in 
my  time,  and  I  mind  me  that  more  than  once  I  was 
sure  I  was  going  to  slide  under,  but  I  am  still  above 
ground;  I  know  you  will  go  into  the  battle,  and 
you  '11  fight  like  a  thousand  furies,  but  I  don't  know, 
and  you  don't  know,  whether  you  '11  be  hurt  or 
whether  you  '11  come  out  without  a  scratch." 

"  The  Great  Spirit  has  spoken  to  Tecumseh;  his 
work  is  done ;  he  has  failed ;  the  white  men  must 
increase;  the  red  men  must  be  their  slaves,  and 
Tecumseh  is  glad  that  he  shall  not  live  till  his  eyes 
see  that  woeful  time." 

"  If  you  want  to  serve  your  people  best,  draw  off 
with  your  warriors  and  go  to  your  new  homes;  then 
you  will  live  many  years  and  be  happy." 

To  his  dying  day  Simon  Kenton  remembered  the 
face  of  Tecumseh  when  he  turned  and  looked  at 
him.  He  did  not  speak  for  a  full  minute,  but  his 
black  eyes  gazed  directly  into  those  that  met  them 
unflinchingly.      The   Shawanoe  chieftain   was  un- 


296     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

deniably  handsome,  with  regular  features,  and  his 
habitual  grave  expression  became  him  well.  He 
seemed  to  be  looking  through  his  friend,  who  was 
almost  frightened  by  his  manner.  But  still  gazing 
into  his  eyes,  the  chieftain  said  in  his  low,  musical 
voice : 

"  Tecumseh  has  chosen  the  battle-ground  for 
General  Proctor;  he  has  promised  that  he  and  his 
warriors  will  fight  with  him  once  more." 

"  That  ends  it,"  replied  the  bitterly  disappointed 
scout,  who  knew  that  neither  death  nor  torture 
could  induce  Tecumseh  to  break  his  word.  The 
scout  remained  seated,  silent,  and  with  his  face 
partially  averted.  The  chieftain  understood  his 
feelings,  and,  to  the  astonishment  of  Kenton,  he 
added : 

"  I  would  do  much  for  General  Harrison,  for  he 
is  a  brave  soldier  and  a  true  man ;  but  I  would  give 
my  life  for  you." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  You  saved  me  before  the  battle  of  Tippecanoe; 
had  you  come  to  me  sooner,  before  my  promise  to 
Proctor,  I  would  have  done  as  you  wish;  I  would 
have  left  him  with  my  warriors  and  gone  to  our  new 
homes  and  lived  in  peace  with  the  Americans." 

"  Ah,  if  I  had  only  seen  you  a  few  days  sooner!  " 
exclaimed  Kenton,  crushed  by  the  knowledge  of  the 
opportunity  gone  forever. 


**  GOOD-B  YE  !  "  2g7 

Tecumseh  turned  toward  him  again  with  his  sad, 
penetrating  look.  No  one  understood  the  simple- 
hearted  scout  better  than  he. 

"  What  is  the  war  chief  of  the  Shawanoes  ?  "  he 
asked,  in  the  low  voice  which  never  failed  to  thrill 
his  listeners  no  less  than  the  thunderous  tones  that 
had  roused  his  savage  race  to  brave  death  itself; 
"  he  is  one  grain  among  the  sands  on  the  shore;  an 
oak  standing  amid  a  forest  of  oaks ;  one  leaf  of  the 
thousands  that  hang  on  the  trees ;  all  must  flutter 
to  the  ground  before  the  blasts  of  winter;  some  will 
fall  before  others,  and  what  matter  it  if  I  am  clasped 
to  the  bosom  of  my  mother  earth  before  this  moon 
is  old  ?  The  Great  Spirit  does  as  he  thinks  wise, 
and  his  plans  heed  not  the  whims  of  his  children, 
whether  their  faces  are  pale  or  red,  or  whether  they 
are  warriors  or  chiefs. 

"  Those  are  beautiful  words,  Shawanoe,"  replied 
Kenton;  "  your  people  have  a  way  of  using  what 
some  folks  call  figgers  of  speech,  which  makes  it 
hard  sometimes  to  git  at  the  meaning  of  your  words ; 
but  I  take  it  that  you  are  saying  that  you  and  me 
ain't  of  any  'count  anyway  in  this  world,  which  will 
go  on  just  the  same  after  we  're  gone  as  it  did  when 
we  was  here  and  kicking  up  such  a  big  fuss ;  is  that 
your  idea  ? " 

The  Shawanoe  nodded. 

"  I  once  heard  one  of  your  missionaries  say  that 


298     TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

we  are  held  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand ;  we  are  but  a 
breath  which  is  gone  while  you  look  at  it ;  you  bow 
down  to  a  being  whom  you  call  God ;  the  red  man 
thinks  of  him  as  the  Great  Spirit,  but  to  me  the  two 
are  the  same.  If  we  follow  the  light  that  he  has 
given  us,  and  try  to  please  him  in  what  we  do  and 
say  and  think,  He  will  not  cast  us  off,  but  will  meet 
us  in  the  happy  hunting-grounds,  and  make  it  well 
with  us." 

"  No  one  has  ever  come  back  from  that  land  of 
shadows  to  tell  us  about  such  things,  Shawanoe,  but 
when  I  hear  an  Injin  talk  like  that,  I  've  the  idee 
that  he  knows  as  much  about  what  waits  us  on 
tother  side  of  the  grave  as  any  white  missionary; 
and  all  that  any  one  knows  is  that  we  've  got  to 
walk  a  straight  line,  speak  with  a  single  tongue, 
treat  every  man  as  if  he  was  a  brother,  and  it  '11  be 
righ*-  when  we  slide  out  of  this  life  into  the  other. 
No;  it  can't  make  any  difference  to  the  Great  Spirit 
whether  you  fall  in  the  coming  battle  or  live  fifty 
years  longer,  but  it  makes  a  confounded  difference 
to  Gin'ral  Harrison  and  the  rest  of  us." 

The  chieftain  did  not  show  the  shadow  of  a  smile 
at  the  simple  earnestness  of  his  companion.  He 
sat  silent  for  a  few  moments,  looking  at  the  blue 
autumn  sky,  as  if  his  thoughts  were  of  a  nature  that 
it  would  be  wrong  to  try  to  describe. 

"  Many  moons  ago  a  pale  face  came  across  the 


'•  GOOD-B  YE  I "  299 

great  sea;  he  brought  his  children  with  him;  they 
were  good  men;  they  thought  those  whom  the 
Great  Spirit  made  with  skins  of  red  or  black  were 
their  brothers;  they  bought  the  lands  of  the  In- 
dians, and  spoke  words  of  peace  and  good-will ;  they 
took  no  oath  when  they  signed  their  treaty,  but 
they  never  broke  it ;  they  never  harmed  the  red  man, 
and  the  red  man  never  harmed  them." 

"I  've  heard  of  Penn  and  his  Quakers;  yes, 
Shawanoe,  they  were  good  men,  and  woe  it  is  that 
there  are  so  few  like  'em.  If  all  our  people  were  as 
the  Quakers,  there  never  would  be  any  wars  with 
the  Injins  nor  among  the  white  folks  themselves." 

Tecumseh  rose  to  his  feet,  and  turning  toward 
Kenton  held  out  his  hand. 

"  My  brother,  who  has  made  the  wars  between 
my  people  and  yours  ?  " 

"  I  can  speak  only  the  truth  to  you ;  it  is  my  own 

people." 

"  Do  you  blame  Tecumseh  because  he  has  dug 

up  the  hatchet  ?  " 

"  No,  nor  never  shall;  but  I  hope  you  will  bury 
it,  and  do  what  you  can  to  bring  about  that  peace 
you  speak  of." 

The  chieftain  shook  his  head. 

"  I  have  done  all  I  can ;  I  can  do  no  more;  the 
battle  must  be  fought,  but  your  people  will  win;  if 
you  and  I  meet  in  battle,  our  hands  will  fall  by  our 


300    TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  IVANOES. 

siHes,  yet  you  will  strike  hard  blows  at  my  people, 
and  I  shall  strike  hard  ones  at  yours.  But  we  are 
brothers,  and  shall  be  when  the  Great  Spirit  calls  us 
home  to  him.     Good-bye." 

"  Good-bye,  Tecumseh,"  replied  the  scout,  wring- 
ing his  hand  and  vainly  striving  to  keep  back  his 

tears. 

Then  they  parted  and  never  met  again. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

THE   TALISMAN. 

THE  young  scouts  in  the  cabin  were  right  in  their 
supposition  that  the  cry  of  the  Indian  beyond 
the  crest  of  the  hill  was  a  summons  to  his  friends 
in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  response  was  more 
prompt  than  the  youths  expected.  Only  a  few 
minuses  had  passed  when  they  caught  glimpses  of  a 
number  of  warriors  peeping  over  the  elevation. 
They  showed  themselves  for  an  instant,  when  their 
heads  disappeared,  to  reappear  a  second  later  at 
some  other  point.  The  shot  of  the  young  Ken- 
tuckian  had  taught  them  a  lesson,  and  those  people 
do  not  take  unnecessary  chances. 

Three  of  the  red  men  took  a  shot  at  the  building, 
or  rather  at  the  defenders,  firing  at  the  windows,  in 
the  hope  that  their  bullets  would  find  one  of  the 
youths,  who  were  equally  careful  about  exposing 
themselves  to  danger.  Each  of  the  bullets  entered 
the  room,  but  did  not  pass  near  enough  to  Ben  or 
George  to  cause  uneasiness.  So  long  as  the  contest 
continued  in  that  fashion,  they  had  nothing  to  fear. 
But  the  assailants  were  not  the  ones  to  overlook 

301 


302     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

the  advantage  that  was  at  their  command  from  the 
first.  By  shifting  their  position  to  the  right  or  left, 
they  were  opposite  an  end  of  the  buibling  from 
which  the  t'.vo  could  not  fire,  since  there  were  no 
windows  at  command.  While  several  held  their 
places  by  lying  on  the  ground,  the  majority  put 
themselves  beyond  the  reach  of  harm  in  the  manner 
mentioned.  Soon  after,  the  rumble  of  voices  showed 
that  they  had  reached  the  cabin. 

"  There  is  only  one  thing  they  can  do,"  said 
Hardin,  when  this  fact  was  apparent;  "if  they 
use  fire,  we  shall  be  caught  as  poor  Jim  Perkins 


was. 


"  It  will  take  some  time,'"  replied  Ben,  as  much 
disturbed  as  his  comrade,  "  and  some  of  our  friends 
ought  to  arrive." 

"  They  may  not  come  for  hours;  Kenton  will  re- 
turn before  that." 

"  If  he  does,  it  will  be  only  to  put  himself  in  as 

bad  a  situation  as  we." 

"  His  pass  from  Tecumseh  will  save  him." 

"  I  am  afraid  not,  but  if  it  does,  it  will  not  help 


us. 


The  two  were  talking  in  low  tones,  listening  and 
on  the  alert,  when,  to  their  amazement,  some  one 
struck  the  door  a  resounding  knock.  Ben  stepped 
forward  and  demanded : 

"  Who  is  there  ? ' 


THE    TALISMAN.  303 

"  Wallah,"  was  the  reply. 

"  The  scamp !  "  exclaimed  Hardin ;  "  are  we  never 

to  be  rid  of  him  ?  " 

"  What  do  you  want  ? "  asked  Ben,  with  his  head 

close  to  the  entrance. 

"  Broder  come  out— we  make  prisoner— we  take 
to  Tecumseh — he  no  hurt  broder." 

Hardin  had  peeped  from  the  window  and  saw 
that  the  one-eyed  half-breed  had  a  companion,  a 
warrior,  who  seemed  to  be  a  Wyandot,  and  who 
was  a  stranger.  The  true  policy  of  the  youths  was 
to  gain  all  the  time  possible  in  the  hope  that  a  party 
of  their  friends  would  come  to  their  rescue. 

"  If  wc  surrender,  will  you  take  us  to  Tecumseh 
or  General  Proctor  ?  " 

It  was  not  curious  perhaps  that  the  half-breed 
knew  the  imperilled  youths  would  prefer  to  be 
placed  in  the  power  of  the  Shawanoe  chieftain,  since 
he  had  already  protected  them  from  outrage,  when 
the  British  general  refused  to  do  so. 

"  Take  you  to  Tecumseh— he  no  hurt— he  friend 
of  broder,"  was  the  prompt  reply  of  Wallah,  the 

One-Eyed. 

•'  We  are  hungry,  wait  till  we  have  finished  our 

meal." 

The  pretext  was  so  ridiculous  that,  despite  the 
gravity  of  the  situation,  Hardin  smiled,  and  Ben 
himself  was  amused  by  his  own  words. 


304     TECUM SEH   CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

' '  Open  door — we  eat  wid  broder — den  all  go  to 
Tecumseh." 

The  youn^  Kentuckian  saw  it  was  useless  to  dally 
with  their  enemies. 

"  Wallah,  we  shall  not  surrender;  if  you  want  us, 
you  must  take  us." 

"  We  burn  cabin — den  shoot  broder  when  come 
out." 

"  That  will  be  better  for  us  than  to  surrender." 

Instead  of  talking  further,  Wallah  and  his  com- 
panion passed  around  the  end  of  the  house  where 
they  were  beyond  harm. 

Ben  turned  to  his  comrade : 

"  They  won't  have  any  trouble  in  firing  the  cabin ; 
they  can  get  all  the  kindling  wood  they  need  from 
the  fence,  outbuildings,  and  that  pile  off  there  to 
the  left." 

"  It  looks,  Ben,  as  if  we  are  in  a  bad  fix." 

"  There  is  n't  any  doubt  of  it;  let  's  keep  watch, 
and  shoot  when  we  see  a  chance;  if  none  of  our 
friends  come,  we  shall  have  to  make  a  break  for  it, 
or  surrender  and  take  our  chances  with  Wallah." 

"  We  shall  have  no  chance  at  all;  he  '11  kill  us  the 
minute  he  can  do  so." 

They  listened  closely,  but  could  not  make  out 
what  their  enemies  were  doing.  Now  and  then  the 
youths  heard  their  footsteps  as  thoy  moved  about, 
and  occasionally  one  of  them  spoke,  but  there  was 


THE    TALISMAN.  305 

no  smell  or  siVn  of  ^moke,  though  the  defenders 
were  confident  that  the  Indians  would  appeal  to 
that  last  argument  in  the  case. 

While  Simon  Kenton  was  holding  his  remarkable 
interview  with  Tecumseh,  he  noted  the  reports  of 
rifles  from  the  direction  of  the  cabin  where  he  had 
left  his  friends.  He  suspected  their  meaning,  but, 
confident  that  they  could  defend  themselves  for 
some  time,  he  did  not  hasten  the  close  of  his  inter- 
view, which  was  made  by  the  Shawanoe  himself. 
When,  however,  he  emerged  from  the  wood  into 
the  highway,  he  broke  into  a  lope,  for  he  began  to 
feel,  after  all,  that  his  presence  was  probably  needed. 
The  sentinels  recognized  him,  and  he  was  allowed 
to  pass  without  questioning  or  halt. 

Occasionally  there  were  reports  of  guns  from 
other  points.  Indeed,  it  was  inevitable,  with  the 
two  armies  lying  so  near  each  other,  and  with 
scouting  parties  skurrying  back  and  forth.  The  dis- 
tance was  not  far,  and,  when  the  famous  scout  came 
in  sight  of  the  hill  and  immediately  after  of  the 
cabin,  he  was  quick  to  see  how  matters  stood. 

There  were  eight  Wyandots,  under  the  leadership 
of  Wallah  the  One-Eyed,  gathered  at  the  end  of 
the  building.  A  pile  of  dry  wood  had  already  been 
heaped  against  the  logs,  which,  when  fired,  would 
quickly  wrap  the  building  in  a  consuming  blaze. 
Then  woeful  must  be  the  fate  of  the  two  youths, 

80 


306       TECUMSEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE  SHA  WANOES. 

who  were  deprived  of  the  opportunity  of  firing  so 
much  as  a  single  shot  in  their  defence. 

Kenton  did  not  hesitate.  As  soon  as  he  saw  the 
group,  he  shouted  and  strode  rapidly  toward  them. 
They  had  caught  sight  of  him,  and  Wallah  was 
angry  and  surprised  by  his  appearance.  He  turned 
and  scowled,  while  Kenton  came  down  the  slope 
and  paused  almost  among  the  group. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this  ?"  he  demanded, 
his  usually  mild  countenance  aflame  with  anger. 

"  What  be  it  to  you  ? "  asked  Wallah  in  English, 
though  Kenton  understood  the  Wyandot  tongue. 

"  It  is  my  bus'ness;  the  young  men  in  there  are 
friends  of  mine." 

This  may  have  been  convincing  logic  to  the 
speaker,  but  it  was  not  to  the  listeners.  The  work 
of  setting  fire  to  the  combustible  stuff  was  sus- 
pended, and  the  eight  Wyandots  gave  their  atten- 
tion to  their  leader  and  the  white  man,  not  doubting 
that  the  proceedings  would  be  summary. 

Wallah,  the  half-breed,  grinned  significantly. 

"  They  be  your  friends;  they  be  our  prisoners; 
then  you  be  our  prisoner ;  we  take  you  and  them  to 
Gen'l  Proctor." 

He  said  something  in  a  low  tone  to  the  warriors 
standing  around,  and  they  laid  their  hands  on  their 
knives  or  tomahawks.  Each  was  provided  with  a 
rifle,  and  all  were  in  their  war-paint. 


THE    TALISMAN.  3^7 

By  way  of  reply,  Kenton  produced  the  leathern 
pass  of  Tecumsch,  and,  without  handing  it  to  Wal- 
lah, held  it  up  so  that  it  was  in  plain  sight  of  all. 

"  Do  you  know  what  that  is  ? " 

Every  one  understood  its  significance  at  a  glance. 
Wallah   reached   his  hand  to  take  it,  but  Kenton 

refused. 

"  I  prefer  to  keep  it;  I  have  just  come  from  Te- 
cumseh ;  he  knows  that  I  have  it ;  it  has  carried  me 
past  all  the  sentinels;  not  even  Proctor  himself 
would  dare  lay  a  hand  on  me  so  long  as  1  have  that ; 
what  have  you  to  say  ?  *'  triumphantly  demanded 
the  scout,  still  holding  the  talisman  in  sight,  but 
beyond  reach  of  any  of  them. 

Wallah  would  have  been  happy  to  disregard  the 
pass,  but  he  dared  not.  He  was  cowed  by  the 
manner  of  Kenton. 

"It  is  Tecumseh's  order  that  my  broder  be  no 
hurt— we  not  hurt  him— he  go  'way— we  take  broders 
in  cabin — no  w^nt  great  scout." 

Kenton  expected  this,  and  was  ready. 
"  Wallah,  do  you  obsarve  that  ?  "  he  asked,  again 
holding  up  the  talisman  to  view,  and  indicating  the 
curiously  fringed  end;  "  the  hole  in  the  middle  is  a 
pass  for  me;  the  fringe  at  the  end  means  '  my 
friends';  you  must  let  them  go  with  me;  you  dare 
not  say  no." 

This  was  bluff.     The  fringe  had  no  such  meaning 


308     TECUM SEH,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHA  WANOES. 

as  the  scout  pretended ;  the  pass  was  for  him  indi- 
vidually ;  he  was  the  only  white  man  ever  thus 
favored  by  the  great  Shawanoe  leader. 

The  One- Eyed  must  have  known  the  truth,  for 
he  shook  his  head. 

"  Great  scout  lie — not  so — we  take  broders  in 
cabin — great  scout  go." 

"  Do  you  dare  refuse  that  ?"  thundered  Kenton, 
stepping  forward  and  shaking  the  bit  of  leather 
almost  against  the  nose  of  the  half-breed. 

"  Me  do  dat,"  replied  the  unabashed  Wallah,  his 
eyes  flashing  with  anger. 

"  Then,  by  the  Eternal!  you  infernal  traitor!  you 
and  me  will  fight  it  out !  " 

Kenton  was  in  a  towering  rage.  He  was  not 
bluffing  now,  but  laying  his  hand  on  the  knife  sus- 
pended in  front  of  his  breast,  thus  notified  the  half- 
breed  that  they  would  decided  the  matter  with 
their  weapons.  It  was  a  daring  thing  to  do,  for  the 
question  might  well  be  asked  what  the  action  of  the 
Wyandots,  who  were  standing  round,  would  be. 
Would  they  accept  the  verdict  of  the  hand-to-hand 
fight  which  was  certain  to  go  in  favor  of  the  white 
man,  who  was  vastly  the  superior  of  the  miscreant 
in  strength,  activity,  and  skill  ? 

Nevertheless,  the  desperate  conflict  would  have 
been  on  within  the  next  minute  but  for  an  interrup- 
tion as  unexpected  by  one  party  as  the  other. 


THE    TALISMAN.  309 

Kenton  had  drawn  his  knife  and  confronted  Wal- 
lah, who,  seeing  himself  literally  forced  into  a  fight 
which  he  feared,  prepared  himself  for  the  onset, 
when  one  of  the  Wyandots  uttered  an  exclamation 
and  dashed  up  the  slope  like  a  deer,  with  his  com- 
panions streaming  after  him  as  if  all  were  running 
for  their  lives. 

In  truth,  that  was  what  they  were  doing,  for  over 
the  brow  of  the  opposite  hill,  from  the  direction  of 
the  American  army,  galloped  a  squad  of  Kentucky 
cavalry  out  on  a  scouting  expedition.  Catching 
sight  of  the  Indians,  they  shouted  and  came  down 
the  slope  like  the  wind. 

The  half-breed  was  quick  to  see  his  peril,  and, 
wheeling  about,  sped  up  the  slope  only  a  few  paces 
behind  his  panic-smitten  companions. 

"  I  think  I  '11  take  a  shy  at  you  for  luck;  you  've 
been  playing  double  with  us,  and  it  's  my  Christian 
duty." 

But  before  the  scout  could  bring  his  rifle  to  his 
shoulder,  he  was  anticipated  b}  the  horsemen,  who 
began  firing  their  carbines  the  moment  they  saw  the 
fleeing  redskins. 

Three  of  them  sprawled  on  their  faces  as  they 
were  passing  over  the  top  of  the  hill,  the  first  being 
Wallah,  the  One-Eyed,  whose  death  was  more  sud- 
den than  he  deserved.  Without  giving  attention  to 
Kenton,  whom  the  horsemen  recognized,  the  shout- 


3IO     TECUM  SEN.  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

ing  cavalrymen  galloped  after  the  remaining  fugi- 
tives, determined  to  do  all  the  execution  possible, 
and  we  must  say  they  were  eminently  successful. 

Thus,  in  a  twinkling,  Simon  Kenton,  Ben  May- 
berry,  and  George  Hardin  found  themselves  to- 
gether, and  without  another  person  in  sight. 

"  Come,  younkers,"  said  the  scout,  in  his  cheery 
manner;  "  it  looks  as  if  a  battle  is  to  be  fout  mighty 
sudden,  and  we  '11  be  needed." 

General  Proctor  kept  the  pledge  he  made  to  Te- 
cumseh.  Having  retreated  to  the  Moravian  towns 
on  the  Thames,  he  determined  to  make  a  stand 
against  the  American  army  under  General  Harrison. 
It  was  Tecumseh,  who,  in  conjunction  with  him, 
selected  the  battle-ground  and  assisted  in  formii^g 
the  plan  of  battle.  Tecumseh  himself  commanded 
the  left  wing  of  the  British  army,  and  his  warriors 
showed  remarkable  steadiness. 

It  was  on  the  fifth  of  October,  1813,  that  Generals 
Harrison  and  Shelby,  the  latter  the  hero  of  Kings 
Mountain,  and  then  Governor  of  Kentucky,  made 
an  impetuous  attack  upon  Proctor,  whose  regulars 
fought  well,  but  were  unable  to  withstand  the  dash- 
ing charges  of  the  American  soldiers,  who  utterly 
routed  them  and  captured  many  prisoners.  Proctor 
was  anxiously  watching  the  contest,  and  when  he 
saw  defeat  impending,  he  dashed  off  on  his  horse 


THE    TALISMAN.  3II 

and  made  good  his  escape,  not  dying  until  forty-six 
years  afterward. 

The  battle  was  hardly  under  way  when  Tecum- 
seh,  while  leading  a  charge,  was  shot  dead.  Who 
fired  the  fatal  shot  will  never  be  known,  but  it  was 
probably  Colonel  Richard  M.  Johnson,  afterward 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States. 

"  My  horse  had  just  been  killed,"  said  Colonel 
Johnson,  "  and  I  was  extricating  my  feet  from  the 
stirrups,  when  an  Indian,  whose  dress  and  appear- 
ance showed  him  to  be  a  chief,  bore  down  upon  me 
like  a  whirlwind.  He  had  a  sword  in  one  hand, 
and  I  saw  he  was  giving  his  whole  attention  to  me ; 
I  did  n't  wait  to  ask  him  his  name,  but  let  fly  with 
my  pistol.  He  was  so  close  that  I  could  not  miss, 
and  he  fell  at  my  feet." 

As  soon  as  it  was  known  that  Tecumseh  had 
fallen,  the  Indians  were  seized  with  panic,  and  their 
headlong  flight  from  the  field  did  much  to  add  to 
the  confusion  and  defeat  of  the  army  itself. 

The  victory  of  the  Thames  was  overwhelming  and 
decisive.  Ohio  was  no  longer  in  danger,  the  Indian 
confederacy  was  destroyed,  and  all  that  General 
Hull  had  betrayed  was  recovered. 

Simon  Kenton,  Ben  Mayberry,  and  George  Har- 
din fought  bravely  through  the  battle.  The  only 
one  of  the  three  injured  was  Ben  Mayberry,  whose 
wound,  however,  was  so  slight  that  it  did  not  in- 


312     TECUM  SEN,  CHIEF  OF  THE   SHAWANOES. 

capacitate  him  for  immediate  duty.  The  two  young 
scouts  and  comrades  did  excellent  service  to  the 
dose  of  the  war,  when  they  returned  to  their  homes. 
Both  lived  to  a  good  old  age,  and  their  descendants 
are  among  the  most  honored  of  the  citizens  of 
Kentucky  and  Ohio. 


THE  END. 


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